Year: 2012
Type: preprint
Abstract: The amyloid β-protein (Aβ) is subject to proteolytic degradation by a diverse array of peptidases and proteinases, known collectively as Aβ-degrading proteases (AβDPs). A growing number of AβDPs have been identified, which, under physiological and/or pathophysiological conditions, contribute significantly to the determination of endogenous cerebral Aβ levels. Despite more than a decade of investigation, the complete set of AβDPs remains to be established, and our understanding of even well-established AβDPs is incomplete. Nevertheless, the study of known AβDPs has contributed importantly to our understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD) and has inspired the development of several novel therapeutic approaches to the regulation of cerebral Aβ levels. In this article, we discuss the general features of Aβ degradation and introduce the best-characterized AβDPs, focusing on their diverse properties and the numerous conceptual insights that have emerged from the study of each.
Authors: T. Saido, M. A. Leissring
Institutions: RIKEN Center for Brain Science, RIKEN, Mayo Clinic in Florida
Language: English
Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W7099626213