A molecular scissor related to Alzheimer’s Disease

An international research team led by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and researchers from Kiel University revealed the atomic-level structure of the human peptidase enzyme meprin ß (beta). The enzyme is related to inflammation, cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease and is involved in cellular proliferation and differentiation. The knowledge of the enzyme structure will allow for the development of a new medication type different from those known up to now. The study was published in the current issue of the journal “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences”.

“Now that we know how meprin ß looks, how it works and how it relates to diseases, we can search for substances that stop its enzyme activities when they become harmful”, explains Xavier Gomis-Rüth, researcher at the Molecular Biology Institute of Barcelona, who led the project. Meprin ß is an enzyme that is anchored in the outer wall of cells. Its normal function in the human metabolism is to cut off certain proteins, e.g. growth factors, that are also anchored in the cell wall. In this way meprin ß releases protein fragments into the environment surrounding the cells – a natural and normal process, as long as it occurs at a certain intensity. However, under specific circumstances, meprin ß may function abnormally, and, for example, releases too many protein fragments. The protein pieces than overdo their natural task in the cell surroundings, causing disorder in the human body. Such disorder typically occurs when inflammation, cancer or Alzheimer’s Disease get started.