Alpha secretase

Alpha secretases are a family of proteolytic enzymes that cleave amyloid precursor protein (APP) in its transmembrane region.

Thus, alpha-secretase cleavage precludes amyloid beta formation and is considered to be part of the non-amyloidogenic pathway in APP processing.

[2] Other ADAM proteins, ADAM17 (also called TACE, tumor necrosis factor-α converting enzyme),[3] ADAM9,[4] and ADAM19[5] have also been identified as alpha secretases; extracellular expression of mutant ADAM9 (also known as MDC9 or meltrin gamma) lacking the membrane anchor domain has been suggested as one of many possible means of Alzheimer's prevention and treatment exploiting the alpha secretase pathway.

[7] Cell-surface cleavage by alpha secretase is very rapid after APP reaches the cell surface.

Release of the APPsα ectodomain has neurotrophic effects that counteract apoptotic signaling and promote synapse formation, processes that are upregulated when ADAM10 is overexpressed.