Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of neurodegenerative disorder. Amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques are integral to the “amyloid hypothesis,” which states that the accumulation of Aβ peptides triggers a cascade of pathological events leading to neurodegeneration and ultimately AD. While the FDA approved aducanumab, the first Aβ-targeted therapy, multiple safe and effective treatments will be needed to target the complex pathologies of AD. γ-Secretase is an intramembrane aspartyl protease that is critical for the generation of Aβ peptides. Activity and specificity of γ-secretase are regulated by both obligatory subunits and modulatory proteins. Due to its complex structure and function and early clinical failures with pan inhibitors, γ-secretase has been a challenging drug target for AD. γ-secretase modulators, however, have dramatically shifted the approach to targeting γ-secretase. Here we review γ-secretase and small molecule modulators, from the initial characterization of a subset of NSAIDs to the most recent clinical candidates. We also discuss the chemical biology of γ-secretase, in which small molecule probes enabled structural and functional insights into γ-secretase before the emergence of high-resolution structural studies. Finally, we discuss the recent crystal structures of γ-secretase, which have provided valuable perspectives on substrate recognition and molecular mechanisms of small molecules. We conclude that modulation of γ-secretase will be part of a new wave of AD therapeutics.
Highlights
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia affecting more than 6 million Americans
Based on comparison of systemic exposure the compound at 50% effective equivalent human dose is expected to have over a 130-fold safety margin. These studies demonstrate the possibility for small molecule γ-Secretase modulator (GSM) to be safely administered as secondary prevention in genetically predisposed subjects, or at-risk subjects who are amyloid-positive based on PET imaging
Conclusion and future perspectives While targeting γ-secretase has proven challenging, it should not diminish its potential as a crucial target for AD pathogenesis
Summary
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia affecting more than 6 million Americans. An imaging probe based on semagacestat demonstrated high specificity and increased uptake in tumor mouse models, suggesting that such tracers could be used to monitor γ-secretase inhibition and target engagement in clinical responses [58]. These studies demonstrate the possibility for small molecule GSMs to be safely administered as secondary prevention in genetically predisposed subjects, or at-risk subjects who are amyloid-positive based on PET imaging.
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