Hiroshi Mori on Endoplasmic reticulum and trans-Golgi network generate distinct populations of Alzheimer beta-amyloid peptides.

COMMENT Two amyloid species (Abeta40 and Abeta42/43) are enerated at TGN and ER, respectively. The question is how they change to an insoluble form in brain tissue in an age-dependent and pathological manner. 0 mori

Carl Cotman on In situ labeling of dying cortical neurons in normal aging and in Alzheimer's disease: correlations with senile plaques and disease progression.

COMMENT An exciting paper suggesting apoptosis in AD is related to beta amyloid. Agrees with previous results from our group and others 0 cwcotman

Benjamin Wolozin on Identification of estrogen target genes in human neural cells.

COMMENT Estrogen is thought to be neuroprotective and this report suggests a possible mechanism. 0 bwolozin

Hiroshi Mori on Presenilin-1 mutations increase levels of ryanodine receptors and calcium release in PC12 cells and cortical neurons.

COMMENT It is curious how PS-1 dependent ER-stress is related with release of cellular Ca2+ in the present clear system. 0 mori

Paul Coleman on DNA replication precedes neuronal cell death in Alzheimer's disease.

COMMENT The data from Karl Herrup's lab are extremely fascinating. One of the issues with cell cycle genes in AD is whether the expression of these genes is coordinated as in an orderly progression of the cell cycle or whether these genes are subverted to ot

Paul Coleman on Treatment of Alzheimer's disease. New developments.

COMMENT The abstract states that 'Cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEI) represent the drug of choice for Alzheimer's disease treatment.' Although this may be true with regard to agents currently approved by the FDA we must not lose sight of the need for

Carl Cotman on Identification of a breast cancer-specific gene, BCSG1, by direct differential cDNA sequencing.

COMMENT Interesting idea [re: geneÕs homology to non-amyloid beta protein fragment of APP] 0 cwcotman

Benjamin Wolozin on A beta peptide vaccination prevents memory loss in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease.

COMMENT Important animal model of AD. 0 bwolozin

Elliott Mufson on A computational model of the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

COMMENT Interesting. 0 emufson

Benjamin Wolozin on Domain homologues of dopamine beta-hydroxylase and ferric reductase: roles for iron metabolism in neurodegenerative disorders?

COMMENT Increasing data implicates iron as one of the toxins that predisposes to Parkinson's disease. This is particularly important because iron stimulates synuclein aggregation (Ostrerova, J. Neuroscience, 2000). This study provides a closer link between i

Hiroshi Mori on Wide range of disease onset in a family with Alzheimer disease and a His163Tyr mutation in the presenilin-1 gene.

COMMENT This is very interesting because of the possible occurrence of an unknown genetical factor which may interfere with the onset of the disease caused by the H163Y mutation of PS-1 at least in this family. The story may come from an analogy of a factor to re

Elliott Mufson on Apolipoprotein E and Alzheimer's disease: a review of recent studies.

COMMENT Useful review. 0 emufson

Hiroshi Mori on An region upstream of the gene promoter for the beta-amyloid precursor protein interacts with proteins from nuclear extracts of the human brain and PC12 cells.

COMMENT The author finds two major protein bands with Mr 53 and 116 kDa which may be important if they are associated with AD pathology. 0 mori

Hiroshi Mori on Estrogen replacement therapy and longitudinal decline in visual memory. A possible protective effect?

COMMENT ERT is the most potent therapy and must be sudied with different viewpoints and more cases. This study is one of such trials and expected to expand [our understanding] more. 0 mori

Hiroshi Mori on Simvastatin strongly reduces levels of Alzheimer's disease beta -amyloid peptides Abeta 42 and Abeta 40 in vitro and in vivo.

COMMENT This is certainly interesting for the possible clinical treatment as well as to see a mechanism to produce Abeta in relation of cholesterol and apo E function. 0 mori