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Expression analysis of BACE2 in brain and peripheral tissues
B D Bennett1, S Babu-Khan, R Loeloff
1Amgen, Inc., Thousand Oaks, California 91320-1799, USA.
The Journal of Biological Chemistry
|April 6, 2000
Summary
Beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 2 (BACE2) is a novel protease. Its low expression in the brain does not align with the predicted pattern for beta-secretase in Alzheimer's disease.
Area of Science:
- Molecular biology
- Neuroscience
- Enzymology
Background:
- Beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme (BACE) is a beta-secretase linked to Alzheimer's disease.
- BACE and BACE2 represent a new family of aspartic proteases with unique carboxyl-terminal extensions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the sequence and expression pattern of BACE2, a homolog of BACE.
- To investigate the potential role of BACE2 in Alzheimer's disease based on its expression profile.
Main Methods:
- Northern analysis to determine BACE2 mRNA expression in human tissues.
- In situ hybridization to examine BACE2 mRNA distribution in the rat brain.
Main Results:
- BACE2 mRNA is expressed at low levels in most human peripheral tissues, with higher levels in specific organs like the colon and pancreas.
- BACE2 mRNA levels are very low or undetectable in the adult and fetal human brain and most adult brain subregions.
- BACE2 mRNA is expressed at very low levels in most regions of the adult rat brain.
Conclusions:
- The expression pattern of BACE2 in the brain is inconsistent with the expected profile for a beta-secretase involved in Alzheimer's disease.
- BACE2 may not play a significant role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, unlike BACE.