HUMANIN, A POLYPEPTIDE SUPPRESSING NEURONAL DEATH

摘要

A polypeptide which inhibits nerve cell death in association with Alzheimer'sdisease. By using a nerve cell system capable of inducing the expression offamilial Alzheimer's disease variant APP by treating with ecdysone, a genehaving an activity of protecting the nerve cells from cell death issuccessfully isolated. This gene encodes a secretory polypeptide consisting of24 amino acids. This polypeptide shows an activity of inhibiting nerve celldeath caused by the expression of an APP variant and a presenilin variant.This polypeptide also inhibits cell death caused by A.beta. in primary nerveculture. By modifying the amino acids of this polypeptide, moreover, the celldeath inhibitory activity can be significantly elevated. These polypeptidesand derivatives thereof are useful as medicines for preventing nerve celldeath in association with Alzheimer's disease and as seed compounds fordeveloping novel medicines for Alzheimer's disease.