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Function, therapeutic potential and cell biology of BACE proteases: current status and future prospects
Vassar R, Kuhn PH, Haass C, Kennedy ME, Rajendran L, Wong PC, Lichtenthaler SF.. Journal of neurochemistry, 2014-04-19
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
The β-site APP cleaving enzymes 1 and 2 (BACE1 and BACE2) were initially identified as transmembrane aspartyl proteases cleaving the amyloid precursor protein (APP). BACE1 is a major drug target for Alzheimer's disease because BACE1-mediated cleavage of APP is the first step in the generation of the pathogenic amyloid-β peptides. BACE1, which is highly expressed in the nervous system, is also required for myelination by cleaving neuregulin 1.
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APA 7th
Vassar, R., Kuhn, P. H., Haass, C., Kennedy, M. E., Rajendran, L., Wong, P. C., et al. (2014). Function, therapeutic potential and cell biology of BACE proteases: current status and future prospects. Journal of neurochemistry. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.12715
Vancouver
Vassar R, Kuhn PH, Haass C, Kennedy ME, Rajendran L, Wong PC, et al. Function, therapeutic potential and cell biology of BACE proteases: current status and future prospects. Journal of neurochemistry. 2014. doi:10.1111/jnc.12715. PMID: 24646365.
BibTeX
@article{vassar2014-24646365,
author = {Vassar, R. and Kuhn, P. H. and Haass, C. and Kennedy, M. E. and Rajendran, L. and Wong, P. C. and Lichtenthaler, S. F.},
title = {{Function, therapeutic potential and cell biology of BACE proteases: current status and future prospects}},
journal = {Journal of neurochemistry},
year = {2014},
doi = {10.1111/jnc.12715},
pmid = {24646365},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.12715}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- BACE1 is a major drug target for Alzheimer's disease because BACE1-mediated cleavage of APP is the first step in the generation of the pathogenic amyloid-β peptides.
- BACE1, which is highly expressed in the nervous system, is also required for myelination by cleaving neuregulin 1.
- Several recent proteomic and in vivo studies using BACE1- and BACE2-deficient mice demonstrate a much wider range of physiological substrates and functions for both proteases within and outside of the nervous system.
- For BACE1 this includes axon guidance, neurogenesis, muscle spindle formation, and neuronal network functions, whereas BACE2 was shown to be involved in pigmentation and pancreatic β-cell function.
Why it matters
This review states that BACE1 is a major drug target because its cleavage of APP is the first step in making pathogenic amyloid beta, but notes BACE1 is also needed for myelination. It describes the current status of BACE research and does not report a working treatment.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 52/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of neurochemistry) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of Neurochemistry: journal h-index 349 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2014 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 321 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 22.9 citations a year over 14 year(s) since 2014 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 29.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 11 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 36 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Stefan F. Lichtenthaler: h-index 65 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Johns Hopkins University: institution h-index 2,306 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 11 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 24646365) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 52 / 100 | — |
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