Researchers Clone Brain Enzyme
April 24, 1998
Researchers supported by NIDDK and NHLBI have cloned and characterized an enzyme in the human brain that is identical to a protein that may contribute to the neuronal dysfunction associated with Alzheimer's Disease. The enzyme, brain short chain L-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenaseis, one of a family of acyl-CoA dehydrogenasesis, is identical in sequence to an amyloid binding protein, ERAB, described by Yan et al., 1997. Brain extracts from Alzheimer's patients have recently been shown to contain significantly more of the newly characterized enzyme than brain tissue from a control group of patients of similar age. Researchers will continue to investigate how this enzyme may contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.
The finding is reported by Song-Yu Yang of the New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities and Horst Schulz of the City College of the City University of New York in The Journal of Biological Chemistry (273), April 24, 1998.
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