Nicastrin (abbreviated NCT) is a protein that is part of the gamma secretase protein complex, which is one of the proteases involved in processing amyloid precursor protein (APP) to the short Alzheimer's disease-associated peptide amyloid beta. The other proteins in the complex are presenilin, which is the catalytically active component of the complex, APH-1 (anterior pharynx-defective 1), and PEN-2 (presenilin enhancer 2).[1] Nicastrin itself is not catalytically active, but instead promotes the maturation and proper trafficking of the other proteins in the complex, all of which undergo significant post-translational modification before becoming active in the cell. [2] Nicastrin has also been identified as a regulator of neprilysin, an enzyme involved in the degradation of amyloid beta fragment.[3]
References
- ↑ Kaether C, Haass C, Steiner H. (2006). Assembly, trafficking and function of gamma-secretase. Neurodegener Dis 3(4-5):275-83. PMID 17047368
- ↑ Zhang YW, Luo WJ, Wang H, Lin P, Vetrivel KS, Liao F, Li F, Wong PC, Farquhar MG, Thinakaran G, Xu H. (2005). Nicastrin is critical for stability and trafficking but not association of other presenilin/gamma-secretase components. J Biol Chem 280(17):17020-6. PMID 15711015
- ↑ Pardossi-Piquard R, Dunys J, Yu G, St George-Hyslop P, Alves da Costa C, Checler F. (2006). Neprilysin activity and expression are controlled by nicastrin. J Neurochem 97(4):1052-6. PMID 16606360
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