The 'peripheral sink' hypothesis in Alzheimer disease (AD) posits that removal of amyloid-β (Aβ) from the periphery should decrease brain levels of Aβ. In a recent study, Andrew Schumacher and colleagues tested this idea by administering the Aβ-degrading protease neprilysin intravenously to a transgenic mouse model of AD. Although the treatment led to depletion of plasma Aβ, brain levels of this peptide were unchanged, indicating that peripheral Aβ clearance may not be a viable therapeutic option in AD.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER
Walker, J. R. et al. Enhanced proteolytic clearance of plasma Aβ by peripherally administered neprilysin does not result in reduced levels of brain Aβ in mice. J. Neurosci. 33, 2457–2464 (2013)
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Peripheral clearance of amyloid-β does not reduce brain levels of this peptide. Nat Rev Neurol 9, 183 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2013.43
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2013.43
