CARB 35 |
| Amyloid is the term for extracellular fibrillar protein deposits that have a specific set of staining and structural characteristics. Amyloid deposits are involved in the pathogenesis of disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, adult-onset diabetes, joint destruction during prolonged hemodialysis, and several other rarer disorders. Although amyloids all look and stain the same in tissues, over 20 different protein types have been identified. In vivo, each amyloid is composed of two classes of components. The first is the defining protein; the second is a set of common structural constituents. Substantial evidence indicates that interactions between the common components and the amyloidogenic protein play a role in amyloidogenesis. Of particular importance amongst the common components are the glycosaminoglycans heparan sulfate and/or heparin. Heparan sulfate as a therapeutic target in amyloidogenesis will be discussed; examples of studies from our labs will be presented. |
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Sugar Alley Symposium
8:30 AM-12:10 PM, Tuesday, April 8, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Rm. 223, Oral
Division of Carbohydrate Chemistry |