Proteolytic processing of Alzheimer's amyloid precursor: Identification of gamma-secretase

Funded Activity Summary

Alzheimer's disease is the major cause of dementia among the elderly and affects more than 20% of the population aged 80 and over. There is no cure for the disease and the treatments currently available can only retard its progression and have serious side-effects. Examination of the brain from subjects who died from Alzheimer's disease shows lesions: these are called amyloid plaques. The plaques are formed by the abnormal accumulation of an insoluble and toxic protein which causes death of the brain cells. Some gene defects which cause Alzheimer's disease at an early age (30-60 years) are known to accelerate the accumulation of the toxic protein, thereby causing progressive degeneration of the brain. Our research is aimed at understanding at the molecular level how the toxic protein forms. We know that it is part of a large protein and that its release requires two enzyme cuts. Now we propose to isolate and characterize these enzymes and to search for drugs which will neutralize them. This constitutes a rational approach to a therapeutic strategy fo halting or slowing down the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2000

End Date: 01-01-2001

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $240,581.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Medical infection agents (incl. prions)

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Ageing | Alzheimer's disease | Neurodegeneration | membrane protein | proteases and inhibitors | proteolytic processing | subcellular fractionation

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