Misfolded proteins as a therapeutic target in Alzheimer's disease

For decades, Alzheimer's Disease (AD) was defined as a disorder of protein misfolding and aggregation. In particular, the extracellular peptide fragment: amyloid-beta (A beta), and the intracellular microtubule-associated protein: tau, were thought to initiate a neurodegenerative cascade which culminated in AD's progressive loss of memory and executive function. As such, both proteins became the focus of intense scrutiny, and served as the principal pathogenic target for hundreds of clinical trials. However, with varying efficacy, none of these investigations produced a disease-modifying therapy - offering patients with AD little recourse aside from transient, symptomatic medications. The near universal failure of clinical trials is unprecedented for a major research discipline. In part, this has motivated an increasing skepticism of the relevance of protein misfolding to AD's etiology. Several recent observations, principally the presence of significant protein pathologies in non-demented seniors, have lent credence to an apparent cursory role for A beta and tau. Herein, we review both A beta and tau, examining the processes from their biosynthesis to their pathogenesis and evaluate their vulnerability to medicinal intervention. We further attempt to reconcile the apparent failure of trials with the potential these targets hold. Ultimately, we seek to answer if protein misfolding is a viable platform in the pursuit of a disease-arresting strategy for AD.