pubmed:abstractText |
Beta-amyloid is released into the brains of Alzheimer's patients, where it aggregates and causes damage to neurons. It is cleaved proteolytically from a large transmembrane glycoprotein amyloid precursor protein by a membrane-bound protease, known as beta-secretase identified previously as the acid protease, Asp-2. We have shown previously that beta-secretase is up-regulated by increased intracellular cholesterol, and down-regulated by cholesterol biosynthesis inhibition. Here we show using mass spectrometry that discrete changes in the glycosylation and palmitoylation of beta-secretase occur when cells expressing it are treated with statins.
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