Navigation Links
Pinpointing a culprit molecule in Alzheimer's disease

One puzzle in Alzheimer's disease (AD) research is why mice engineered to have the abnormal protein underlying the disease in humans show little pathology of the disease. Specifically, such mice are genetically altered to overproduce mutant human amyloid precursor protein (APP). It is this protein that, when clipped by enzymes, produces the amyloid beta (Ab) peptide that clusters into the amyloid plaque that clogs the brain and kills brain cells.

The clipping of APP produces two types of amyloid beta peptide--one 40 amino acid units long (Ab40) and one 42 units long (Ab42). Circumstantial evidence has suggested that Ab42 is the "stickier" of the two forms, and underlies the pathology of the disease.

Now, researchers led by Eileen McGowan and Todd Golde of the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine report in the July 21, 2005, issue of Neuron definitive proof that Ab42 is, indeed, the culprit molecule. In their experiments, they created transgenic mice that overproduced either Ab40 or Ab42 in the absence of overproduction of APP. Thus, they could precisely study the role of each of these molecules in AD pathology.

Their studies of the mice revealed that the Ab40 mice showed little amyloid disease pathology in the animals' brains, while the Ab42 mice showed extensive accumulation of amyloid plaque and resulting neural damage. What's more, when the researchers crossed the Ab42 mice with those producing mutant APP, they saw a massive increase in amyloid deposition that was more than the additive effect of the two mutations.

The researchers pointed out that test tube studies have shown that Ab42 aggregates more readily. "Thus, the simplest explanation for the complete lack of pathology in the [Ab40] mice would be the relative inability of Ab40 to initiate nucleation events capable of promoting amyloid deposition," they wrote.

One question the new transgenic mice might help address, wrote the researchers, is whether Ab peptide does damage i
'"/>

Source:Cell Press


Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. Pinpointing the cause of a neurodegenerative disorder
2. Chemists create Superbowl molecule; May lead to better health
3. Key molecule in plant photo-protection identified
4. Inflammatory molecules released by pollen trigger allergies
5. Researchers discover molecule that causes secondary stroke
6. Yale researchers identify molecule for detecting parasitic infection in humans
7. Scientists identify molecule that regulates well-known tumor suppressor
8. Medical molecules designed to respond to visible light that can penetrate tissue
9. Researchers find promising cancer-fighting power of synthetic cell-signaling molecule
10. Chemists synthesize molecule that helps body battle cancers, malaria
11. DNA constraints control structure of attached macromolecules
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
TAG: Pinpointing culprit molecule Alzheimer disease

(Date:6/18/2013)... of Calgary,s Faculty of Medicine have discovered a mechanism ... bacteria. Platelets, a component of blood typically associated with ... and upon detection, seal it off from the rest ... Nature Immunology this week, provide the science ... science community has known that platelets do participate in ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... a hacker lab. At Brandeis University, sophisticated computational ... helping scientists understand the complex interplay between genomic ... virus, outer "shell" critical for replication. ... we are finding will help researchers alter virus ... fellow Jason Perlmutter, first author of the scientific ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... $12.7 million to match nine academic research groups ... explore new treatments for patients in eight disease ... schizophrenia. The collaborative pilot initiative, called Discovering New ... the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) ... The process of developing a new therapeutic is ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Immunity mechanism discovered 2Computer modeling technique goes viral at Brandeis 2NIH to fund collaborations with industry to identify new uses for existing compounds 2NIH to fund collaborations with industry to identify new uses for existing compounds 3NIH to fund collaborations with industry to identify new uses for existing compounds 4
... led by the University of Minnesota, addressing long-standing ... key directions for the future of community ecology. ... applies knowledge of evolutionary relationships among different species ... and biodiversity. The work, published in the ...
... study of pollutants in marine mammals, brains reveals that ... pesticides such as DDTs and PCBs, as well as ... Eric Montie, the lead author on the study currently ... Environmental Pollution , performed the research as a student ...
... The National Institutes of Health is launching the ... treatments for rare and neglected diseases. The $24 ... Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases Program, or ... this spring, is unusual because TRND creates a ...
Cached Biology News:U of Minnesota research reveals critical role of evolutionary processes in species coexistence 2Skip this cocktail party 2Skip this cocktail party 3NIH announces new program to develop therapeutics for rare and neglected diseases 2NIH announces new program to develop therapeutics for rare and neglected diseases 3NIH announces new program to develop therapeutics for rare and neglected diseases 4NIH announces new program to develop therapeutics for rare and neglected diseases 5
(Date:6/20/2013)... , June 20, 2013 Based ... market, Frost & Sullivan presents bitop AG with ... New Product Innovation. The company,s path-breaking extremolyte platform ... rhinitis and conjunctivitis, dry eye or dry nose ... line is expected to revolutionize how allergies are ...
(Date:6/20/2013)... Over the years, GLM Displays , ... questions that can be summed up in one simple question, ... GLM Displays, Matt Lunser, sat down and put together a ... and offer some useful tips on how to maximize ROI ... guide is meant to help our clients understand some of ...
(Date:6/20/2013)... (PRWEB) June 20, 2013 Belatrix Software, ... , today released news on its latest initiative – ... initiative brings together leading thought leaders, and business and ... and dynamic workshops. The goal of the initiative is ... gain fresh inspiration for their product innovation efforts. ...
(Date:6/20/2013)... 20, 2013 Many health benefits have ... according to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Chiropractor and ... . Recent research has been looking into the ... disease. , Researcher Janice Kiecolt-Glaser and her team at ... have studied the health benefits of Omega-3s for years. ...
Breaking Biology Technology:Frost & Sullivan Presents bitop AG with the 2013 New Product Innovation Award in the Extremolytes Therapeutics Market 2Frost & Sullivan Presents bitop AG with the 2013 New Product Innovation Award in the Extremolytes Therapeutics Market 3Frost & Sullivan Presents bitop AG with the 2013 New Product Innovation Award in the Extremolytes Therapeutics Market 4Belatrix Software Kicks off Major Innovation Effort and Invites Innovation Expert to Share How Agile + Design Thinking Accelerate Product Innovation 2Omega-3 Fatty Acids: the Fountain of Youth? 2Omega-3 Fatty Acids: the Fountain of Youth? 3Omega-3 Fatty Acids: the Fountain of Youth? 4
... shares of Common Stock in Exchange, for Senior Subordinated and ... ... interest, SEATTLE, Feb. 13 Cell Therapeutics, Inc.,("CTI" or the ... in aggregate principal of its outstanding 5.75%,Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes due 2008 ...
... (Nasdaq:,CEPH) issued the following statement in response to ... Commission (FTC) in U.S. District Court for the,District ... entered,into by the company in late 2005 and ... infringement litigation and seeking to,permanently enjoin the Company ...
... Board Authority to Implement Reverse Stock Split and ... Shares and Authorized Shares, NEW HAVEN, Conn., Feb. 13 ... Special Meeting of,Stockholders was held at the Omni Hotel in ... meeting, shareholders voted to approve amendments to the,Company,s Restated Certificate ...
Cached Biology Technology:Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (CTI) Announces Cancellation of Approximately $9.1 Million of Existing Notes due 2008 2Cephalon Statement on Federal Trade Commission Action Regarding PROVIGIL Patent Settlements 2Cephalon Statement on Federal Trade Commission Action Regarding PROVIGIL Patent Settlements 3Vion Pharmaceuticals Holds Special Meeting of Stockholders 2Vion Pharmaceuticals Holds Special Meeting of Stockholders 3
Shotgun library construction and high-throughput DNA sequencing of microbial genomes, BACs, adenoviruses, phosmids and cosmids. LIMS tracking utilizing Geospiza's Finch system....
... XAB2 (amino terminus) XAB2 (XPA-binding protein ... with XPA. Immunoprecipitation experiments have also demonstrated ... the transcription-coupled repair-specific proteins CSA and CSB ... Microinjection experiments with XAB2 antibodies resulted in ...
...
A component of the Acridinium protein labeling kit....
Biology Products: