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Soluble Amyloid Precursor Protein α: Friend or Foe?

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Biochemical and Biophysical Roles of Cell Surface Molecules

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 1112))

Abstract

The “amyloidogenic” proteolytic processing of the cell surface amyloid precursor protein (APP) produces amyloid-β, which causes a range of detrimental effects in the neuron, such as synaptic loss, and plays a key role in Alzheimer’s disease. In contrast, “non-amyloidogenic” proteolytic processing, which involves the cleavage of APP by α-secretase, produces soluble amyloid precursor protein α (sAPPα) and is the most predominant proteolytic processing of APP in the healthy brain. Current research suggests that sAPPα plays a role in synaptic growth and plasticity, but whether this role is protective or detrimental is age-dependent. This review looks at the effects of increasing sAPPα during three time-points in life (in development, young adult, ageing/neurodegeneration) when synaptic plasticity plays an important role.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neuroscience & Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

    Nicola J. Corbett & Nigel M. Hooper

Authors
  1. Nicola J. Corbett
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  2. Nigel M. Hooper
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Correspondence to Nigel M. Hooper .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Protein Science, Design and Engineering, Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, Mohali, Punjab, India

    Kausik Chattopadhyay

  2. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA

    Subhash C. Basu

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Corbett, N.J., Hooper, N.M. (2018). Soluble Amyloid Precursor Protein α: Friend or Foe?. In: Chattopadhyay, K., Basu, S. (eds) Biochemical and Biophysical Roles of Cell Surface Molecules. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 1112. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-3065-0_13

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