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SUMMARY:Gamma-Secretase: basic biology and therapeutic potential in Alzhei
 mer’s disease
DTSTART:20131209T121500
DTEND:20131209T131000
DTSTAMP:20260527T190515Z
UID:9aa38b3d4162873e6e53f8a0731990b7c22e6294162fe2d6e92486ef
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:Prof. Patrick Fraering\nAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most
  common form of dementia\, for which no efficient treatment exists. Gamma-
 Secretase is a multi-subunit integral membrane protease complex that contr
 ols a wide variety of cellular and biological processes by regulating intr
 amembrane proteolysis of proteins\, including the Notch receptor and synap
 tic cell adhesion molecules. By catalyzing the final cleavage of the amylo
 id-beta precursor protein (APP)\, gamma-secretase is responsible for the n
 euronal production of the amyloid-beta peptides (A beta)\, the accumulatio
 n of which causes AD. As such\, gamma-secretase has emerged as a key targe
 t to treat AD. Our group has developed new tools and systems that provided
  groundbreaking structural and functional insights into gamma-secretase an
 d the intramembrane proteolysis of APP and A beta production. I will show 
 how we used these to understand the genotype to phenotype conversion in ea
 rly-onset familial AD caused by mutations in APP or in PS1\, the catalytic
  subunit of gamma-secretase. Next\, because clinical studies with gamma-se
 cretase inhibitors (GSIs) have revealed severe side effects mainly attribu
 ted to impaired Notch signaling\, we developed new strategies to selective
 ly reduce A beta production without affecting other gamma-secretase functi
 ons. I will discuss the concepts\, results and promises of our approaches\
 , including small molecule gamma-secretase modulators (GSMs)\, APP-substra
 te neutralizing monoclonal antibodies\, and the identification of new endo
 genous modulators of gamma-secretase. Together\, our findings greatly cont
 ribute to efforts aiming at solving a major medical and socio-economic pro
 blem.
LOCATION:SV 1717A http://plan.epfl.ch/?lang=en&room=sv+1717+a
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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