Insulin Degrading Enzyme Assays for Treatment of Alzheimer\u27s Disease

Estrogen has been shown to increase the expression and activity of amyloid peptide inactivating enzymes in the brain. Peptides have been shown to increase the activity of an amyloid peptide inactivating enzyme. Methods of identifying compounds for, and methods of treating patients with, Alzheimer\u27s Disease is disclosed

Amyloid Peptide Inactivating Enzyme to Treat Alzheimer\u27s Disease Peripherally

Methods for treatment and/or prevention of Alzheimer\u27s disease comprising inactivating peripheral AP in serum to a reduce A(3 in the brain. Methods comprise expression of amyloid peptide inactivating enzyme on bone marrow cells; and coupling of amyloid peptide inactivating enzyme to hematopoietic cells

Aminopeptidases do not directly degrade tau protein

BACKGROUND: Tau hyperphosphorylation and aggregation to form intracellular neurofibrillar tangles is prevalent in a number of tauopathies. Thus there is current interest in the mechanisms involved in Tau clearance. It was recently reported that Tau can be degraded by an aminopeptidase known as the puromycin sensitive aminopeptidase (PSA). Until now PSA has been reported to only cleave peptides, with the largest reported substrates having 30-50 amino acids. We have studied this unique PSA cleavage reaction using a number of different PSA preparations. RESULTS: An N-terminally His tagged-PSA was expressed and purified from Sf9 insect cells. Although this PSA preparation cleaved Tau, product analysis with N and C terminal Tau antibodies coupled with mass spectrometry showed an endoproteolytic cleavage atypical for an aminopeptidase. Furthermore, the reaction was not blocked by the general aminopeptidase inhibitor bestatin or the specific PSA inhibitor puromycin. In order to test whether Tau hydrolysis might be caused by a protease contaminant the enzyme was expressed in E. coli as glutathione S-transferase and maltose binding protein fusion proteins or in Sf9 cells as a C-terminally His-tagged protein. After purification to near homogeneity none of these other recombinant forms of PSA cleaved Tau. Further, Tau-cleaving activity and aminopeptidase activities derived from the Sf9 cell expression system were separable by molecular sieve chromatography. When tested in a cellular context we again failed to see a PSA dependent cleavage of Tau. A commercial preparation of a related aminopeptidase, aminopeptidase N, also exhibited Tau cleaving activity, but this activity could also be separated from aminopeptidase activity. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that PSA does not directly cleave Tau

Aminopeptidases do not directly degrade tau protein

BACKGROUND: Tau hyperphosphorylation and aggregation to form intracellular neurofibrillar tangles is prevalent in a number of tauopathies. Thus there is current interest in the mechanisms involved in Tau clearance. It was recently reported that Tau can be degraded by an aminopeptidase known as the puromycin sensitive aminopeptidase (PSA). Until now PSA has been reported to only cleave peptides, with the largest reported substrates having 30-50 amino acids. We have studied this unique PSA cleavage reaction using a number of different PSA preparations. RESULTS: An N-terminally His tagged-PSA was expressed and purified from Sf9 insect cells. Although this PSA preparation cleaved Tau, product analysis with N and C terminal Tau antibodies coupled with mass spectrometry showed an endoproteolytic cleavage atypical for an aminopeptidase. Furthermore, the reaction was not blocked by the general aminopeptidase inhibitor bestatin or the specific PSA inhibitor puromycin. In order to test whether Tau hydrolysis might be caused by a protease contaminant the enzyme was expressed in E. coli as glutathione S-transferase and maltose binding protein fusion proteins or in Sf9 cells as a C-terminally His-tagged protein. After purification to near homogeneity none of these other recombinant forms of PSA cleaved Tau. Further, Tau-cleaving activity and aminopeptidase activities derived from the Sf9 cell expression system were separable by molecular sieve chromatography. When tested in a cellular context we again failed to see a PSA dependent cleavage of Tau. A commercial preparation of a related aminopeptidase, aminopeptidase N, also exhibited Tau cleaving activity, but this activity could also be separated from aminopeptidase activity. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that PSA does not directly cleave Tau

Mutant Insulin Degrading Enzyme and Methods of Use

In one aspect, the present invention provides an isolated mutant insulin degrading enzyme (IDE) having an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to SEQ ID NO:1 over its entire length and comprises at least one amino acid substitution at any of amino acid residues 332, 339, 341, 359, 360, 361, 374, 429, 609, 898, 899 or 901 of the sequence. The mutant IDE has a differential activity relative to that of wild-type IDE. Also provided is a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide of the invention

A Monomeric Variant of Insulin Degrading Enzyme (IDE) Loses Its Regulatory Properties

Background: Insulin degrading enzyme (IDE) is a key enzyme in the metabolism of both insulin and amyloid beta peptides. IDE is unique in that it is subject to allosteric activation which is hypothesized to occur through an oligomeric structuture. Methodology/Principal Findings: IDE is known to exist as an equilibrium mixture of monomers, dimers, and higher oligomers, with the dimer being the predominant form. Based on the crystal structure of IDE we deleted the putative dimer interface in the C-terminal region, which resulted in a monomeric variant. Monomeric IDE retained enzymatic activity, however instead of the allosteric behavior seen with wild type enzyme it displayed Michaelis-Menten kinetic behavior. With the substrate Abz-GGFLRKHGQ-EDDnp, monomeric IDE retained,25 % of the wild type activity. In contrast with the larger peptide substrates b-endorphin and amyloid b peptide 1–40, monomeric IDE retained only 1 to 0.25 % of wild type activity. Unlike wild type IDE neither bradykinin nor dynorphin B-9 activated the monomeric variant of the enzyme. Similarly, monomeric IDE was not activated by polyphosphates under conditions in which the activity of wild type enzyme was increased more than 50 fold. Conclusions/Significance: These findings serve to establish the dimer interface in IDE and demonstrate the requirement for an oligomeric form of the enzyme for its regulatory properties. The data support a mechanism where the binding of activators to oligomeric IDE induces a conformational change that cannot occur in the monomeric variant. Since

Immunohistochemical localization of aminopeptidase M in rat brain and periphery: Relationship of enzyme localization and enkephalin metabolism

An antiserum specific for rat aminopeptidase M has been used for the immunohistochemical localization of the enzyme in rat brain and peripheral tissues. The enzyme in brain is localized exclusively on blood vessels. Within the pituitary the enzyme was associated with the vasculature in the posterior lobe, on the surface of the intermediate lobe and on the surface of some cells in the anterior lobe. In the liver, fine cell staining was observed between parenchymal cells, in the ileum the entire lumenal surface was stained, while in the kidney both proximal tubular and a central tubular staining was detected. In each tissue aminopeptidase M is localized such that it can limit diffusion across specific barriers. Aminopeptidase M activity in brain has been proposed to function in the degradation of synaptically released enkephalins. Its localization on blood vessels requires that enkephalins diffuse prior to degradation, a concept not in concert with current hypotheses. Based on these studies it is proposed that diffusion away from enkephalinergic synapses plays a key role in terminating enkephalin action.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/26720/1/0000270.pd

Cysteine 904 is required for maximal insulin degrading enzyme activity and polyanion activation

Cysteine residues in insulin degrading enzyme have been reported as non-critical for its activity. We found that converting the twelve cysteine residues in rat insulin degrading enzyme (IDE) to serines resulted in a cysteine-free form of the enzyme with reduced activity and decreased activation by polyanions. Mutation of each cysteine residue individually revealed cysteine 904 as the key residue required for maximal activity and polyanion activation, although other cysteines affect polyanion binding to a lesser extent. Based on the structure of IDE, Asn 575 was identified as a potential hydrogen bond partner for Cys904 and mutation of this residue also reduced activity and decreased polyanion activation. The oligomerization state of IDE did not correlate with its activity, with the dimer being the predominant form in all the samples examined. These data suggest that there are several conformational states of the dimer that affect activity and polyanion activation

Immunization of Alpacas (\u3cem\u3eLama pacos\u3c/em\u3e) with Protein Antigens and Production of Antigen-Specific Single Domain Antibodies

In this manuscript, a method for the immunization of alpaca and the use of molecular biology methods to produce antigen-specific single domain antibodies is described and demonstrated. Camelids, such as alpacas and llamas, have become a valuable resource for biomedical research since they produce a novel type of heavy chain-only antibody which can be used to produce single domain antibodies. Because the immune system is highly flexible, single domain antibodies can be made to many different protein antigens, and even different conformations of the antigen, with a very high degree of specificity. These features, among others, make single domain antibodies an invaluable tool for biomedical research. A method for the production of single domain antibodies from alpacas is reported. A protocol for immunization, blood collection, and B-cell isolation is described. The B-cells are used for the construction of an immunized library, which is used in the selection of specific single domain antibodies via panning. Putative specific single domain antibodies obtained via panning are confirmed by pull-down, ELISA, or gel-shift assays. The resulting single domain antibodies can then be used either directly or as a part of an engineered reagent. The uses of single domain antibody and single domain antibody-based regents include structural, biochemical, cellular, in vivo, and therapeutic applications. Single domain antibodies can be produced in large quantities as recombinant proteins in prokaryotic expression systems, purified, and used directly or can be engineered to contain specific markers or tags that can be used as reporters in cellular studies or in diagnostics

Processos de fusão e aquisição em Portugal: estudo do caso da aquisição da empresa Obelisco S.A. pela holding desafios SGPS, S.A

The actual business global scenario is characterized by globalization and the digital era, that make mergers and acquisitions playing an increasingly important role as a strategic measure of expansion, innovation, and portfolio diversification in order to achieve synergies and consequently creating value for shareholders. The current dissertation aims to study the economic and financial impact on the company Obelisco S.A. due to its acquisition by the holding Desafios SGPS, S.A.. In order to conduct this study, projections were prepared based on the reports and accounts of the company Obelisco S.A. and the holding company Desafios SGPS S.A. where Enterprise Value was estimated using the Discounted Cash Flows methodologies, followed by Economic Value Added/ Market Value Added, Cash-Flow Return on Investment and Market Multiples. The results showed, according to the existing literature that the Discounted Cash Flow methodology cannot be applied to all companies, and this is one of those cases, however it is possible to conclude that there was value creation for its shareholders.O atual panorama empresarial mundial, caracterizado pela globalização e pela era digital fazem com que as fusões e aquisições assumam um papel cada vez mais relevante como medida estratégica de expansão, inovação e diversificação de portfólio com vista a obtenção de sinergias e consequentemente a criação de valor para os acionistas. A presente dissertação tem como objetivo estudar o impacto económico-financeiro na empresa Obelisco S.A. em virtude da sua aquisição pela holding Desafios SGPS, S.A.. Para a realização deste estudo, foram elaboradas projeções com base nos relatórios e contas da empresa Obelisco S.A e da holding Desafios SGPS S.A onde se estimou o Enterprise Value a partir das metodologias Discounted Cash Flows, seguido de Economic Value Added/ Market Value Added, Cash-Flow Return on Investment e Múltiplos de mercado. Os resultados demonstraram, de acordo com a literatura existente que a metodologia dos Discounted Cash Flow não pode ser aplicada a todas as empresas, e este é um desses casos, todavia é possível concluir que houve criação de valor para os seus acionistas