Amyloids, APP, ADAM17 and Autism
Tonsil biopsy in variant CJD, source: Wikipedia Amyloid may sound like someone’s name, but in fact it is something rather sinister and is related to many brain disorders. It appears that, at least in severe cases, they may be implicated in autism, or least the precursor is. Proteins that are normally soluble undergo a process called amyloidosis, which makes them insoluble and allows deposits to accumulate in various organs, including the brain. There are many known examples, including Alzheimer’s and Mad Cow Disease ( Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease ). A number of years ago there was a huge public health scare in the UK, when humans were affected by Mad Cow Disease, after eating the brains of cows in processed food. Symptoms vary widely, depending upon where in the body amyloid deposits accumulate. Amyloidosis may be inherited or acquired. The precursor to amyloid is naturally called Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP). APP exists in...