Alzheimer's-associated protein may be part of the innate immune system

the primary constituent of the plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients - may be part of the body's first-line system to defend against infection. In their report in the March 3 issue of the open-access journal PLoS One, a team led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers describe their evidence that amyloid-beta protein (A-beta) is an antimicrobial peptide. These small proteins are part of the innate immune system, which provides broad defense against a wide range of pathogens.

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