The Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells 2: “TREM-ming” the Inflammatory Component Associated with Alzheimer's Disease

Figure 2

Putative pathway for neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease. According to the beta-amyloid hypothesis, the production of beta-amyloid represents the first step in the entire process following the sequential cleavage of APP by 𝛽-secretase and 𝛾-secretase. Beta-amyloid in turn may lead to NFT formation and eventual cell death by promoting oxidative stress and caspase activation through initiation of the mitochondrial-mediated pathway of apoptosis. The activation of caspases results in cleavage of critical cellular proteins including tau, leading to its modification and hyperphosphorylation, a key prerequisite for filament formation. See main text for details.