Oxidative stress and amyloid-β (Aβ) formation are important processes that occur in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Amyloid formation is associated with the aggregation and precipitation of the Aβ peptide, while oxidative stress results from an imbalance in pro-oxidant/antioxidant homeostasis that produces harmful reactive oxygen species. The methionine-35 (Met35) residue of the Aβ peptide plays an important role in AD oxidative stress events and the associated neurotoxicity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStudies in transgenic mice bearing mutated human Alzheimer disease (AD) genes show that active vaccination with the amyloid beta (Abeta) protein or passive immunization with anti-Abeta antibodies has beneficial effects on the development of disease. Although a trial of Abeta vaccination in humans was halted because of autoimmune meningoencephalitis, favorable effects on Abeta deposition in the brain and on behavior were seen. Conflicting results have been observed concerning the relationship of circulating anti-Abeta antibodies and AD.
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