DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

摘要

A gene has been identified in human chromosomes, on human chromosome 21 in the region q11-q21. The gene has been sequenced and shown to have sequence homologies with the ubiquitin specific protease family. The recombinant gene has been cloned into E.coli, and the product shown to have ubiquitin specific protease properties. It is believed that the activity of the enzyme may be involved in the pathway leading to neurofibrillar tangles observed in Alzheimer's disease and/or in general neurotoxicity leading to progressive neuronal degeneration and cell death. The invention relates to processes for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease, for treating Alzheimer's disease and for investigating the mechanism of Alzheimer's disease. The sequence of the enzyme has GenBank accession No. AF 134213. The gene has the name USP25, approved by the HUGO Nomenclature Committee.