ABNORMAL CHOLESTEROL PROCESSING IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE PATIENT'S FIBROBLASTS

attention as a potentially important factor in Alzheimer’s disease etiology. Caveolin, which binds cholesterol, plays a prominent role in cellular cholesterol transport. Here, we found a higher level of cholesterol and caveolin in the caveolae-enriched fractions prepared from Alzheimer's disease patients' (AD) fibroblasts compared with age and sex matched controls (AC). Furthermore, the cross-linking activation of the prion protein, which is known to link to signal transduction of caveolin, is altered in AD fibroblasts. Our results suggest a dysregulation of cholesterol processing in AD fibroblasts which may contribute to the pathogenesis of AD. © 2003 by F Dufour and colleagues