A review on the role of prolyl isomerase Pin1 in Alzheimer’s disease

In recent years, many studies have suggested the essential role of the prolyl isomerase Pin1 enzyme in protecting against age-related neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD). This enzyme is involved in the conformational changes of the two key proteins including amyloid precursor proteins (APP) and tau protein from dysfunctional (cis) to properly functional (trans) form. Promoting non-amyloidogenic degradation of APP, restoring tau function in microtubule assembly, and inducing tau dephosphorylation are among the main results of the Pin1 physiological functions. In AD, the lack of Pin1 activity slows down the rate of isomerization, which promotes the amyloidogenic pathway and induces the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). The exact molecular mechanisms of Pin1 dysregulation in AD have not yet been elucidated. However, the findings suggest that Pin1 may be a new target in managing AD at early stages, and investigating the regulation of its expression in neurons could help achieve this goal.