A protease is recovered with a dimeric form of acetylcholinesterase in fetal bovine serum

Molecular Isoform Distribution and Glycosylation of Acetylcholinesterase Are Altered in Brain and Cerebrospinal Fluid of Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease

“…However, it has been suggested that the increase in ChE around amyloid plaques may be glial in origin (Wright et al, 1993). As it is very likely that different cell types add different carbohydrate moieties onto AChE (Méflah et al, 1984; Liao et al, 1992; Michaelson and Small, 1993; Vidal, 1996; Saxena et al, 1997), it is possible that changes in AChE glycosylation reflect an alteration in AChE expression in a specific cell type that is activated by Aβ deposition.…”

“…As different molecular weight isoforms of ChE have been found to have different glycosylation pattern (Méflah et al, 1984; Liao et al, 1992; Treskatis et al, 1992; Michaelson and Small, 1993; Vidal, 1996), we have examined whether the glycosylation of AChE is altered in the AD CSF. A previous preliminary report by us has described an abnormality in the CSF of AD patients (Sáez‐Valero et al, 1997).…”

[2] Families of serine peptidases

“…At the time of writing, however, the evidence for endopeptidase activity expressed by the cholinesterases does not appear strong. [54][55][56] The nonpeptidase enzymes that show no amino acid sequence similarity to carboxypeptidase C, but are thought to be distant relatives because of their similar tertiary structures, include cholinesterases, haloalkane dehalogenases, and carboxymethylenebutenolidases (dienelactone hydrolases) in the "a/[3 hydrolase fold" clan. 52,53…”

Anticholinesterase induces nicotinic receptor modulation

“…The proposition that AChE directly interacts with AChR becomes attractive, since it has been reported that AChE functions as a protease. 10,27 AChE might hydrolyze some part of AChR and thus modify its function, and it has been reported that in a maturing nAChR ␣ subunit of TE671 cells, different conformations are found. 11 An alternative is that AChEIs act indirectly on AChR by binding to AChE.…”

“…Several alternative forms of AChEs have been found in various tissues and tumor cells. 39 There is evidence to show that AChEs act as proteases, 10,27 and they might play a role in the proliferation and differentiation of cells. 38 It has also been reported that secreted AChEs potentiate synaptic responses evoked in guinea pig hippocampus.…”