REDUCTION OF BETA-AMYLOID LEVELS BY TREATMENT WITH THE SMALL MOLECULE DIFFERENTIATION-INDUCING FACTOR

摘要

The present invention relates to novel uses for a family of small molecules, Differentiation-Inducing Factors (DIFs). It has been discovered that DIFs surprisingly can alter the metabolic processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and in turn reduce the level of secreted A&bgr;. The metabolic processing of other γ-secretase substrates normally present in cells (Notch and APLP1) is not affected when treated with DIF. The invention provides methods for reducing A&bgr; production in mammalian cells that express APP by administering DIF-I, DIF-2, DIF-3, a functionally equivalent analog and or any combination thereof. The invention also provides methods for treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease by preferentially reducing A&bgr; production.