
Cleavageofamyloidprecursorprotein(APP)into40or42aminoacidamyloidβ(aβ)peptidesisaresultoftheactionoftwoproteasesβ-andγ-secretase.Thebeta-siteAPPcleavingenzyme,orBACE-1,isatransmembraneasparticproteasethatislocalizedinthegolgiandendosomes.LowlevelsofBACE-1mRNAarefoundinmostadulttissueswithahigherlevelofexpressioninpancreas.
ItisimportantinthepathogenesisofAlzheimersdisease,andintheformationofmyelinsheathsinperipheralnervecells.
Image:DetectionofBACE-1inhumancerebellum.StainedwithHRP-DAP(brown)andcounter-stainedwithhemtoxylin(blue).