Neurodegeneration in Alzheimer Disease: Role of Amyloid Precursor Protein and Presenilin 1 Intracellular Signaling

Figure 2

Schematic representation of the intracellular pathway by which AβPP and PS1 control the activation of the MAPK/ERK1/2 cascade and their final biological effects. In the figure is specified the interaction between APP intracellular domain and PS1 C-terminus, with the adaptor protein Grb2. Grb2 can bind simultaneously to APP and PS1 (as measured in FRET experiments) leading to the MAPK ERK1/2 cascade activation. In AD an aberrant activation of ERK1/2 induced by APP and/or PS1 can determine the tentative activation of the cell cycle that, in postmitotic neurons, may induce cells to undergo apoptosis.