Angiotensin converting enzyme and Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an incurable degenerative disease of the central nervous system, leading to dementia. The basis of AD is a neurodegenerative process that leads to death of neurons in the cerebral cortex. This neurodegenerative process is associated with the formation of neurofibrillary tangles in the brain and the deposition of senile plaques, with beta-amyloid peptide (Aβ) as their main component. The risk factors for AD include age, as well as hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, and hypercholesterolemia; pathogeneses of all these pathologies involve angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), the key enzyme of the renin-angiotensin (RAS) and kallikrein-kinin (KKS) systems. Recently it has been found that ACE together with other metallopeptidases, participates in metabolism of Aβ by cleaving peptide bonds at the N-terminal and C-terminal regions of the Aβ molecule. The role of the ACE in the degradation processes of Aβ attracts much interest, which is associated with the fact that prescription of ACE inhibitors is the main therapeutic approach used for treatment of various forms of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. However, until now it remains unclear, whether the antihypertensive drugs inhibiting RAS can be used for treatment or prevention of AD. Currently, numerous studies on possible relationship between RAS and AD are carried out. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2012.