Beta-amyloid 38/Beta-APP38 Recombinant Protein (RPES1233)

Beta-amyloid 38/Beta-APP38 Recombinant Protein

Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a type I transmembrane protein expressed in many tissues and concentrated in the synapses of neurons; and is suggested as a regulator of synapse formation and neural plasticity. APP can be processed by two different proteolytic pathways. In one pathway; APP is cleaved by β- and γ-secretase to produce the amyloid-β-protein (Aβ; Abeta; beta-amyloid) which is the principal component of the amyloid plaques; the major pathological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD); while in the other pathway; α-secretase is involved in the cleavage of APP whose product exerts antiamyloidogenic effect and prevention of the Aβ peptide formation. The aberrant accumulation of aggregated beta-amyloid peptides (Abeta) as plaques is a hallmark of AD neuropathology and reduction of Abeta has become a leading direction of emerging experimental therapies for the disease. Besides this pathological function of Abeta; recently published data reveal that Abeta also has an essential physiological role in lipid homeostasis. Cholesterol increases Abeta production; and conversely A beta production causes a decrease in cholesterol synthesis. Abeta may be part of a mechanism controlling synaptic activity; acting as a positive regulator presynaptically and a negative regulator postsynaptically. The pathological accumulation of oligomeric Abeta assemblies depresses excitatory transmission at the synaptic level; but also triggers aberrant patterns of neuronal circuit activity and epileptiform discharges at the network level. Abeta-induced dysfunction of inhibitory interneurons likely increases synchrony among excitatory principal cells and contributes to the destabilization of neuronal networks. There is evidence that beta-amyloid can impair blood vessel function. Vascular beta-amyloid deposition; also known as cerebral amyloid angiopathy; is associated with vascular dysfunction in animal and human studies. Alzheimer disease is associated with morphological changes in capillary networks; and soluble beta-amyloid produces abnormal vascular responses to physiological and pharmacological stimuli.