The Hippo signaling pathway as a therapeutic target in Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

The Hippo signaling pathway is well-known for its regulation of organ size, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell migration and differentiation. Recent studies have demonstrated that Hippo signaling also plays important roles in the nervous system, being involved in neuroinflammation, neuronal differentiation, and neuronal death and degeneration. As such, dysregulation of Hippo signaling, particularly of its core kinases MST1/2 and LATS1/2, has begun to attract attention in the Alzheimer’s disease (AD) field. Here, we discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting the Hippo pathway in AD by providing an overview of Hippo signaling with regards to its function in the nervous system, evidence for its dysregulation in AD patients and models, and recent studies involving genetic or pharmacological modulation of this pathway in AD.