Proteases causing degradation of amyloid .beta.-protein precursor
AssigneeTrustees of Boston University
InventorCarmela R. Abraham
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A proteolytic factor has been isolated from the brains of humans with Alzheimer's disease which specifically cleaves the peptide having the sequence His-Ser-Glu-Val-Lys-Met-Asp-Ala-Glu-Phe (SEQ ID NO: 1) between Met and Asp. This peptide is in the cleavage site of the N-terminal domain of the amyloid .beta.-protein precursor.
Claims3
A purified endoprotease identical to an endoprotease found in brains of humans with Alzheimer's Disease, which purified endoprotease, when incubated with a peptide having an amino acid sequence of His-Ser-Glu-Val-Lys-Met-Asp-Ala-Glu-Phe (SEQ ID NO:
- 1), cleaves the peptide between its Met and Asp residues, which purified endoprotease is inhibited by O-phenanthroline and by metal chelators bat not by pheymethylsulfonyl fluoride.
An endoprotease prepared by a method comprising:
- providing a human brain tissue homogenate;
- purifying the endoprotease from the homogenate by:
- separating the homogenate into at least two fractions;
- assaying the homogenate fractions for an ability to cleave a peptide having an amino acid sequence of His-Ser-Glu-Val-Lys-Met-Asp-Ala-Glu-Phe (SEQ ID NO:
- 1) between its Met and Asp residues;
- and
- selecting those homogenate fractions whose ability to cleave the peptide between its Met and Asp residues is highest.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.