Membrane-targeted strategies for modulating APP and A beta-mediated toxicity

作者：Price Katherine A^*; Crouch Peter J; Donnelly Paul S; Masters Colin L; White Anthony R; Curtain Cyril C

来源：Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, 2009, 13(2): 249-261.

DOI：10.1111/j.1582-4934.2008.00642.x

• amyloid
• copper
• membranes

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by numerous pathological features including the accumulation of neurotoxic amyloid-beta (A beta) peptide. There is currently no effective therapy for AD, but the development of therapeutic strategies that target the cell membrane is gaining increased interest. The amyloid precursor protein (APP) from which A beta is formed is a membrane-bound protein, and A beta production and toxicity are both membrane mediated events. This review describes the critical role of cell membranes in AD with particular emphasis on how the composition and structure of the membrane and its specialized regions may influence toxic or benign A beta/APP pathways in AD. The putative role of copper (Cu) in AD is also discussed, and we highlight how targeting the cell membrane with Cu complexes has therapeutic potential in AD.

• 出版日期2009-2