Clearance mechanisms of Alzheimer's amyloid-Β peptide: Implications for therapeutic design and diagnostic tests

Abstract

Currently, the amyloid hypothesis is the most widely accepted explanation for the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). According to this hypothesis, altered metabolism of the amyloid-Β (AΒ) peptide is central to the pathological cascade involved in the pathogenesis of AD. Although AΒ is produced by almost every cell in the body, a physiological function for the peptide has not been determined, and the pathways by which AΒ leads to cognitive dysfunction and cell death are unclear. Numerous therapeutic approaches that target the production, toxicity and removal of AΒ are being developed worldwide. Although therapeutic treatment for AD may be imminent, the value and effectiveness of such t..