Amyloid beta peptide processing, insulin degrading enzyme, and butyrylcholinesterase

Amyloid beta peptide implicated in Alzheimers disease is cleaved by insulin degrading enzyme (IDE). Abnormal cholinesterases similar to butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) are found in Alzheimer brain. The similarities between IDE and BChE (which is known to have an arylacylamidase and a metallocarboxypeptidase-like activity) such as their zinc metalloenzyme nature, their localization in glia and their ability to bind amyloid peptide in Alzheimers disease raise interesting questions.