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The accumulation and deposition of amyloid-beta (Aß) peptides is detrimental to neuronal networks and is driven by the cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) by beta-secretase 1 (BACE1). The proteolytic processing of APP is tightly regulated by the opposing activities of BACE1 and ADAM10, with the latter producing a truncated, non-amyloidogenic fragment. Maintaining this balance is critical for normal physiological function, as complete inhibition of BACE1 has proven detrimental owing to the important physiological roles of its many substrates. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), an important mediator of neuronal function and survival, has recently been shown to reduce BACE1 activity in neural tissue, but the mechanism for this remains unknown. Previous research suggests that BACE1 cleavage of APP is favoured at acidic intracellular compartments, whereas non-amyloidogenic processing preferentially occurs at the plasma membrane. Hence, we hypothesized that BDNF alters the subcellular distribution of BACE1, reducing ß-cleavage of APP. Here, we show that acute BDNF treatment of differentiated neural cells (SH-SY5Y) reduced levels of sAPPß, a product of BACE1 cleavage of APP. Using confocal microscopy and quantitative image analysis, we found that this reduction in sAPPß levels is coincident with increased BACE1 localization to the plasma membrane, and a concomitant reduction of BACE1 localization to early endosomes. This effect appears to be independent of clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME), as inhibition of CME by PitStop2 treatment increased a-cleavage of APP but did not reduce ß-cleavage independent of BDNF treatment. Hence, BDNF may reduce production of Aß by altering BACE1 distribution and decreasing upstream ß-cleavage. Show less

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive disorder that affects the brain and leads to cognitive decline and memory loss, with postmenopausal women being unduly affected. Estrogen is believed to exert neuroprotective effects by influencing amyloid-beta accumulation, tau hyperphosphorylation, oxidative stress, synaptic function, neuroinflammation, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signalling. This review examines the role of estrogen in AD pathogenesis among postmenopausal women. A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Keywords included "estrogen", "Alzheimer's disease", "neuroprotection", "amyloid-beta," and "BDNF." Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed studies from the past 10 years focusing on estrogen's effects on AD mechanisms, neurobiology, and therapeutic relevance. Articles were screened by title and abstract. Followed by a full-text review to ensure methodological rigour and relevance. Evidence indicates that estrogen reduces amyloid beta burden, inhibits tau phosphorylation, mitigates oxidative stress, preserves synaptic connectivity, and suppresses neuroinflammation. Estrogen also modulates ApoE-linked lipid metabolism and enhances BDNF signalling, supporting neuronal survival and cognitive resilience. Declining estrogen after menopause increases vulnerability to AD. Understanding estrogen's neuroprotective mechanisms may support targeted therapeutic strategies. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) show potential, but further research is needed to optimise timing, dosage, and patient selection in postmenopausal AD prevention and management. Show less

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin that, through the activation of its full length receptor, TrkB-FL, plays a pivotal role in neuroprotection, namely against neuronal toxicity mediated by amyloid-β peptide (Aβ). In astrocytes, the increase of calcium (Ca Show less