Fighting Alzheimer’s Disease with a New Enzyme

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Researchers at Mayo Clinic in Florida have identified an enzyme that could represent a powerful new tool for combating Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is the most common memory disorder in the United States and affects more that 5.5 million people. 

The enzyme — known as BACE2 — destroys beta-amyloid, a toxic protein fragment that litters the brains of patients who have the disease. The discovery is interesting because BACE2 is closely related to another enzyme, known as BACE1, involved in producing beta-amyloid. Read entire news release: Dr. Leissring Alzheimer's  

Sound bites with lead author Malcolm Leissring, Ph.D., are available in the downloads.

Expert title for broadcast cg: Dr. Malcom Leissring, Mayo Clinic Neuroscientist

Findings are published online in Molecular Neurodegeneration

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