Seladin-1: A Possible Neuroprotective Agent in Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain dysfunction, which damages and destroys neurons and results in memory loss. Selective Alzheimer's disease indicator-1 (seladin-1) is a gene and protein that is found to be down-regulated in specific areas of the brain affected by Alzheimer's disease. Seladin-1 has neuroprotective properties and inhibits caspase-3 activity, a key mediator of apoptosis. Seladin-1 is a multi-functional protein and independently of its activity as a caspase-3 inhibitor, it acts as a cholesterol biosynthetic enzyme. Cholesterol enhances the formation of lipid rafts inhibits the production of β-amyloid in the membrane of neural cell. Cholesterol homeostasis disorder in neural cells may enhance susceptibility of cells to the toxic agents.
Studies have shown that the level of seladin-1 increases during brain development to prevent the loss of neuronal precursor cells. Estrogen and thyroid hormones stimulate the expression of seladin-1. It seems that seladin-1 may act as a mediator of these hormones.