A potential pathogenetic role of iron in Alzheimer's disease.

The role of iron in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is still unclear, despite the evidence that it accumulates in the same brain regions characterized by the amyloid beta peptide (Abeta) accumulation. Here we propose that iron directly influences the Abeta production through the modulation of furin, a proconvertase involved in the regulation of the alpha-secretase-dependent processing of the amyloid protein precursor (APP).