Endocytosis and Alzheimer's disease

Geroscience. 2024 Feb;46(1):71-85. doi: 10.1007/s11357-023-00923-1. Epub 2023 Aug 30.

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder and is the most common cause of dementia. The pathogenesis of AD still remains unclear, including two main hypotheses: amyloid cascade and tau hyperphosphorylation. The hallmark neuropathological changes of AD are extracellular deposits of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Endocytosis plays an important role in a number of cellular processes including communication with the extracellular environment, nutrient uptake, and signaling by the cell surface receptors. Based on the results of genetic and biochemical studies, there is a link between neuronal endosomal function and AD pathology. Taking this into account, we can state that in the results of previous research, endolysosomal abnormality is an important cause of neuronal lesions in the brain. Endocytosis is a central pathway involved in the regulation of the degradation of amyloidogenic components. The results of the studies suggest that a correlation between alteration in the endocytosis process and associated protein expression progresses AD. In this article, we discuss the current knowledge about endosomal abnormalities in AD.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Amyloid-β; Amyloidogenic process; Endocytosis; Endosome secretion; Tau protein.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease* / genetics
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / genetics
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / metabolism
  • Endocytosis
  • Humans
  • Neurofibrillary Tangles / metabolism
  • Neurofibrillary Tangles / pathology

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides