Functional interplay between plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase, amyloid β-peptide and tau

It is well known that dysregulation of Ca2+ homeostasis is involved in Alzheimeris disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the presence of toxic aggregates of amyloid beta-peptide (A beta) and neurofibrillary tangles of tau. Alteration of calcium signaling has been linked to A beta and tau pathologies, although the understanding of underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms is far from clear. This review summarizes the functional inhibition of plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA) by A beta and tau, and its modulation by calmodulin and the ionic nature of phospholipids. The data obtained until now in our laboratory suggest that PMCA injury linked to Al) and tau can be significantly involved in the cascade of events leading to intracellular calcium overload associated to AD. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.