Abstract

Introduction: Cysteine protease are biological catalysts which play a pivotal role in numerous biological reactions in organism. Much of the literature is inscribed to their biochemical significance, distribution and mechanism of action. Many diseases, e.g. Alzheimer’s disease, develop due to enzyme balance disruption. Understanding of cysteine protease’s disbalance is therefor a key to unravel the new possibilities of treatment. Cysteine protease are one of the most important enzymes for protein disruption during programmed cell death. Whether protein disruption is part of cell deaths is not enough clear in any cases. Thereafter, any tissue disruption, including proteolysis, generate more or less inflammation appearance. Review: This review briefly summarizes the current knowledge about pathological mechanism’s that results in AD, with significant reference to the role of cysteine protease in it. Based on the summary, new pharmacological approach and development of novel potent drugs with selective toxicity targeting cysteine protease will be a major challenge in years to come.

Key words: Alzheimer’s disease, cysteine protease, calpain, cathepsin, caspase, cystatin C, inflammation.