Nalivaeva NN, Zhuravin IA, Turner AJ. Neprilysin expression and functions in development, ageing and disease.
Mech Ageing Dev 2020;
192:111363. [PMID:
32987038 PMCID:
PMC7519013 DOI:
10.1016/j.mad.2020.111363]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Neprilysin (NEP) participates in development and functions of most body organs
It is an important brain neuropeptidase which cleaves amyloid β (Aβ) peptide
NEP dysregulation leads to development of various diseases of old age
Regulation of NEP expression and activity is an important therapeutic target
Neprilysin (NEP) is an integral membrane-bound metallopeptidase with a wide spectrum of substrates and physiological functions. It plays an important role in proteolytic processes in the kidney, cardiovascular regulation, immune response, cell proliferation, foetal development etc. It is an important neuropeptidase and amyloid-degrading enzyme which makes NEP a therapeutic target in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Moreover, it plays a preventive role in development of cancer, obesity and type-2 diabetes. Recently a role of NEP in COVID-19 pathogenesis has also been suggested. Despite intensive research into NEP structure and functions in different organisms, changes in its expression and regulation during brain development and ageing, especially in age-related pathologies, is still not fully understood. This prevents development of pharmacological treatments from various diseases in which NEP is implicated although recently a dual-acting drug sacubitril-valsartan (LCZ696) combining a NEP inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker has been approved for treatment of heart failure. Also, various natural compounds capable of upregulating NEP expression, including green tea (EGCG), have been proposed as a preventive medicine in prostate cancer and AD. This review summarizes the existing literature and our own research on the expression and activity of NEP in normal brain development, ageing and under pathological conditions.
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