APP and Alzheimer disease: In clinical detection of AD patients, elevated levels of zinc have been observed in the cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala, which are all highly vulnerable brain regions in AD.526,527 In AD animal models such as APP/PS1 mice and macaques, zinc was found to accumulate in the plaques.528,529 Certain zinc-bearing transcription factors, including NF-κB and the tumor suppressor protein p53, are involved in the synthesis of APP.