Biomaterial Database

Calcium dysregulation in Alzheimer's disease. 2008

Lukasz Bojarski, and Jochen Herms, and Jacek Kuznicki

International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 4 Ks. Trojdena Street, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland.

Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common form of adult dementia. Its pathological hallmarks are synaptic degeneration, deposition of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, leading to neuronal loss. A few hypotheses have been proposed to explain AD pathogenesis. The beta-amyloid (Abeta) and hyperphosphorylated tau hypotheses suggest that these proteins are the main players in AD development. Another hypothesis proposes that the dysregulation of calcium homeostasis may be a key factor in accelerating other pathological changes. Although Abeta and tau have been extensively studied, recently published data provide a growing body of evidence supporting the critical role of calcium signalling in AD. For example, presenilins, which are mutated in familial cases of AD, were demonstrated to form low conductance calcium channels in the ER and elevated cytosolic calcium concentration increases amyloid generation. Moreover, memantine, an antagonist of the NMDA-calcium channel receptor, has been found to have a beneficial effect for AD patients offering novel possibilities for a calcium signalling targeted therapy of AD. This review underscores the growing importance of calcium ions in AD development and focuses on the relevant aspects of calcium homeostasis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010766	Phosphorylation	The introduction of a phosphoryl group into a compound through the formation of an ester bond between the compound and a phosphorus moiety.	Phosphorylations
D002118	Calcium	A basic element found in nearly all tissues. It is a member of the alkaline earth family of metals with the atomic symbol Ca, atomic number 20, and atomic weight 40. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and combines with phosphorus to form calcium phosphate in the bones and teeth. It is essential for the normal functioning of nerves and muscles and plays a role in blood coagulation (as factor IV) and in many enzymatic processes.	Coagulation Factor IV,Factor IV,Blood Coagulation Factor IV,Calcium-40,Calcium 40,Factor IV, Coagulation
D006706	Homeostasis	The processes whereby the internal environment of an organism tends to remain balanced and stable.	Autoregulation
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000544	Alzheimer Disease	A degenerative disease of the BRAIN characterized by the insidious onset of DEMENTIA. Impairment of MEMORY, judgment, attention span, and problem solving skills are followed by severe APRAXIAS and a global loss of cognitive abilities. The condition primarily occurs after age 60, and is marked pathologically by severe cortical atrophy and the triad of SENILE PLAQUES; NEUROFIBRILLARY TANGLES; and NEUROPIL THREADS. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp1049-57)	Acute Confusional Senile Dementia,Alzheimer's Diseases,Dementia, Alzheimer Type,Dementia, Senile,Presenile Alzheimer Dementia,Senile Dementia, Alzheimer Type,Alzheimer Dementia,Alzheimer Disease, Early Onset,Alzheimer Disease, Late Onset,Alzheimer Sclerosis,Alzheimer Syndrome,Alzheimer Type Senile Dementia,Alzheimer's Disease,Alzheimer's Disease, Focal Onset,Alzheimer-Type Dementia (ATD),Dementia, Presenile,Dementia, Primary Senile Degenerative,Early Onset Alzheimer Disease,Familial Alzheimer Disease (FAD),Focal Onset Alzheimer's Disease,Late Onset Alzheimer Disease,Primary Senile Degenerative Dementia,Senile Dementia, Acute Confusional,Alzheimer Dementias,Alzheimer Disease, Familial (FAD),Alzheimer Diseases,Alzheimer Type Dementia,Alzheimer Type Dementia (ATD),Alzheimers Diseases,Dementia, Alzheimer,Dementia, Alzheimer-Type (ATD),Familial Alzheimer Diseases (FAD),Presenile Dementia,Sclerosis, Alzheimer,Senile Dementia
D016564	Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor	A single-pass type I membrane protein. It is cleaved by AMYLOID PRECURSOR PROTEIN SECRETASES to produce peptides of varying amino acid lengths. A 39-42 amino acid peptide, AMYLOID BETA-PEPTIDES is a principal component of the extracellular amyloid in SENILE PLAQUES.	Amyloid A4 Protein Precursor,Amyloid Protein Precursor,beta-Amyloid Protein Precursor,Amyloid beta Precursor Protein,Protease Nexin 2,Protease Nexin II,Amyloid beta Protein Precursor,Nexin 2, Protease,Nexin II, Protease,beta Amyloid Protein Precursor,beta-Protein Precursor, Amyloid
D016875	tau Proteins	Microtubule-associated proteins that are mainly expressed in neurons. Tau proteins constitute several isoforms and play an important role in the assembly of tubulin monomers into microtubules and in maintaining the cytoskeleton and axonal transport. Aggregation of specific sets of tau proteins in filamentous inclusions is the common feature of intraneuronal and glial fibrillar lesions (NEUROFIBRILLARY TANGLES; NEUROPIL THREADS) in numerous neurodegenerative disorders (ALZHEIMER DISEASE; TAUOPATHIES).	tau Protein,Protein, tau,Proteins, tau