BACE1 and presenilin: two unusual aspartyl proteases involved in Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract

Two enzymatic activities are required to generate the pathogenic beta-amyloid (Abeta) peptide that accumulates in the brain of Alzheimer's disease patients. Both activities are carried out by two unusual aspartyl proteases known as beta- and gamma-secretase. Their therapeutic inhibition appears, therefore, a promising strategy to treat the disease. Transgenic mouse models in which the genes encoding the secretases have been ablated offer an invaluable tool, on the one hand, to gain more insights into the biological function of these proteases and, on the other hand, to predict the consequences that might be associated with enzyme inhibition in vivo.

• Authors: Diana-Ines Dominguez, Dieter Hartmann, Bart De Strooper
• Journal: Neuro-degenerative diseases (Neurodegener Dis) Vol. 1 Issue 4-5 Pg. 168-74 ( 2004) ISSN: 1660-2854 [Print] Switzerland
• PMID: 16908986 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Chemical References

• Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases
• Endopeptidases
• Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases
• BACE1 protein, human
• Bace1 protein, mouse

Topics

• Alzheimer Disease (enzymology)
• Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases
• Animals
• Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases
• Endopeptidases (physiology)
• Humans