Thesis defense : “ Consequences of APP soluble forms overexpression in memory processes and its therapeutical application to Alzheimer’s disease.”

Wednesday September the 21st, World Alzheimer's Day, will be held at CEA of Fontenay aux roses a thesis defense by Romain Fol on this topic. The discussion will precisely focus on the “ Consequences of APP soluble forms overexpression in memory processes and its therapeutical application to Alzheimer’s disease.”

Summary :

One of the main characteristic of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the intracerebral accumulation of the neurotoxic Amyloid β peptide (Aβ) either as oligomeric or aggregated forms known as the amyloid plaques. This peptide is produced via the Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) processing following the amyloidogenic pathway, pathological pathway overactivated in AD. Most of the research performed during the last 25 years focused on pathogenic consequences of this dysregulation, deprioritizing the understanding of the APP physiological functions. Nonetheless, numerous studies show that these physiological functions might be mediated via APP soluble forms (APPs). In the physiological APP processing pathway, the non-amyloidogenic pathway, APP is cleaved by the α secretase, releasing the APPsα which display neuroprotective and synaptotrophic properties, essential for brain normal functions. In the context of AD, the amyloidogenic pathway overactivation leads to APPsβ overproduction at the expense of APPsα. Therefore, AD harmful consequences could be due to the decrease of APPsα concentration associated with an increase of APPsβ.

The thesis defense will focus on the characterization of mnemonic and functional consequences following the overexpression via gene transfer of these two soluble forms and their therapeutic potential in AD.

 Mercredi 21 septembre 2016, 14h30

Auditorium

Bâtiment 52

18 route du Panorama

CEA de Fontenay aux roses