A Molecular Basis For Selective Therapeutic Intervention In Alzheimer's Disease

The contribution of University of Aveiro researchers to the complex theme of how 'Cellular stress affects phosphorylation dependent AßPP processing' showed that, even under conditions of cellular stress, one could favour non-toxic AßPP processing by modulating intracellular protein phosphorylation systems and this, in turn, may constitute the basis for selective therapeutic intervention.

Cellular stress has been associated with the disease and may impact upon AßPP processing and, consequently, toxic amyloid peptide termedAß production. University of Aveiro researchers, in their recent article 'Cellular stress affects phosphorylation dependent AßPP processing' by A. G. Henriques et al, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, Vol. 7, pp 201-212, addressed how the non-toxic amyloid precursor protein (AßPP) processing was affected by cellular stress.

The research was carried out in the recently established Neuroscience Laboratory of the University of Aveiro, headed by Prof. Odete A. B. da Cruz e Silva. The University of Aveiro was created in 1973 and is generally recognized as one of the most dynamic universities in Portugal, being a member of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities. The university prides itself in the quality of its research groups and, in addition to its traditional strength in areas such as Material Science, Signal Transduction, Environment and Marine Studies, Electronics and Telematics, Telecommunications and Telemedicine, it has recently promoted the development of internationally competitive research in Biomolecular and Health Sciences.


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