Alpha secretase
Alpha secretases are a family of
metalloprotease domain') family, which are expressed on the surfaces of cells and anchored in the cell membrane. Several such proteins, notably ADAM10, have been identified as possessing alpha-secretase activity. Upon cleavage by alpha secretases, APP releases its extracellular domain - a fragment known as APPsα - into the extracellular environment in a process known as ectodomain shedding.[1]
ADAM10 consists of two
substrates during membrane protein maturation.[7] Cell-surface cleavage by alpha secretase is very rapid after APP reaches the cell surface.[8]
The activity of alpha secretases has been implicated in the regulation of learning and
PACAP.[10]
Related alpha-secretases, including ADAM10, have also been implicated in similar maturation events for other
Notch pathway bears many similarities to APP processing and is also regulated in part by ADAM10.[12]