Description
Amyloid-β (Aβ) is a peptide cleavage product of amyloid precursor protein (APP) that is often used as a biomarker in Alzheimer’s disease. Misfolded Aβ oligomers instigate conformation changes in other, normally folded Aβ oligomers, increasing the number of misfolded proteins and eventually forming neurotoxic plaques. These plaques impair cognitive performance in vivo. Aβ (1-42) is more fibrillogenic and more highly associated with Alzheimer’s disease than Aβ (1-40), although the shorter form is more common.
References
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Yin YI, Bassit B, Zhu L, et al. gamma-Secretase Substrate Concentration Modulates the Abeta42/Abeta40 Ratio: Implications for Alzheimer Disease. J Biol Chem. 2007 Aug 10;282(32):23639-44. PMID: 17556361.
Hartmann T, Bieger SC, Brühl B, et al. Distinct sites of intracellular production for Alzheimer's disease A beta40/42 amyloid peptides. Nat Med. 1997 Sep;3(9):1016-20. PMID: 9288729.
