Advances in functions of calmodulin in Alzheimer's disease / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Calmodulin,as an important signaling regulatory protein,widely exists in eukaryotic cells and participates in a variety of physiological activities.Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a typical neurodegenerative diseasemostly affecting the old people.Senile plaques (SP) caused by amyloid protein deposition and neurofibrillary tangles (NTF) caused by over-phosphorylation of Tau protein in the brain are the two major neuropathological hallmarks of AD.Neuronal apoptosis induced by dysregulation of calcium homeostasis also plays a significant role during this pathological process.Recent studies have found that calcium and its downstream receptor,calmodulin,are closely associated with the pathogenesis and progress of Alzheimer's disease.This article reviews the current development and the latest research progress on the effects of calmodulin on β-amyloid protein generation and deposition,neurofibrillary tangle formation,synaptic plasticity in AD around the world,comprehensively discusses the role of calmodulin in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.