The protein presenilin 1 is one subunit of a complex known as gamma-secretase. Presenilin 1 carries out the major function of the complex, which is to perform proteolysis on other proteins. The γ-secretase complex is best known for its role in processing amyloid precursor protein (APP), which is made in the brain and other tissues. Gamma-secretase cuts APP into smaller peptides, including soluble amyloid precursor protein (sAPP) and several versions of amyloid-beta peptide. Evidence suggests that sAPP has growth-promoting properties and may play a role in the formation of nerve cells in the brain both before and after birth. Alzheimer's disease patients with an inherited form of the disease have been found to carry mutations in the presenilin proteins or in the APP.
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