Amyloid precursor proteins are processed by beta-secretase and gamma-secretase to produce beta-amyloid peptides which form the characteristic plaques of Alzheimer disease. This gene encodes a transmembrane protein which is processed at the C-terminus by furin or furin-like proteases to produce a small secreted peptide which inhibits the deposition of beta-amyloid. Mutations which result in extension of the C-terminal end of the encoded protein, thereby increasing the size of the secreted peptide, are associated with two neurogenerative diseases, familial British dementia and familial Danish dementia.
