Researchers may have discovered potential drug target for Alzheimer's disease
| May 6, 2019, 14:51 IST
Researchers have discovered specific genes in certain brain cells of an Alzheimer's disease patient shows distinctive cellular pathways. The findings could help scientists develop potential new drug targets for Alzheimer's. The medical condition affects millions of people across the globe.
The team found there is a disruption in Axon Myelination, a process in the body, in Alzheimer's patients. The team also found the disease affects men and women differently as it depends on how their genes respond to the condition.
"This study provides, in my view, the very first map for going after all of the molecular processes that are altered in Alzheimer's disease in every single cell type that we can now reliably characterize," one of the authors of the study told a news portal. Adding, "It opens up a completely new era for understanding Alzheimer's."
For the study, a single-cell RNA sequencing on about 80,000 cells was performed on all the participants. This technique helped the team to examine abundant cell types, like excitatory and inhibitory neurons, as well as rarer, non-neuronal brain cells such as Oligodendrocytes, Astrocytes, and Microglia.The results showed these cell types showed distinct gene expression differences in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
The team discovered changes occurred more in the genes linked to axon regeneration and myelination. They also found associations between gene expression patterns and measures of Alzheimer's severity. This measure included cognitive impairments, level of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles.
Researchers say further research is needed to understand the condition, as well as why it affects men and women differently. "There is mounting clinical and preclinical evidence of sexual dimorphism in Alzheimer's predisposition, but no underlying mechanisms are known. Our work points to differential cellular processes involving non-neuronal myelinating cells as potentially having a role," author of the study Davila-Velderrain, told a news portal. Adding, "It will be key to figure out whether these discrepancies protect or damage the brain cells only in one of the sexes and how to balance the response in the desired direction on the other." The study's findings were originally published in the journal Nature.
Meanwhile, previous research has found that coffee can help protect against Alzheimer's disease. "Coffee consumption does seem to have some correlation to a decreased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease," author of the study Dr Donald Weaver told a news portal.
The team found there is a disruption in Axon Myelination, a process in the body, in Alzheimer's patients. The team also found the disease affects men and women differently as it depends on how their genes respond to the condition.
"This study provides, in my view, the very first map for going after all of the molecular processes that are altered in Alzheimer's disease in every single cell type that we can now reliably characterize," one of the authors of the study told a news portal. Adding, "It opens up a completely new era for understanding Alzheimer's."
For the study, a single-cell RNA sequencing on about 80,000 cells was performed on all the participants. This technique helped the team to examine abundant cell types, like excitatory and inhibitory neurons, as well as rarer, non-neuronal brain cells such as Oligodendrocytes, Astrocytes, and Microglia.The results showed these cell types showed distinct gene expression differences in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
The team discovered changes occurred more in the genes linked to axon regeneration and myelination. They also found associations between gene expression patterns and measures of Alzheimer's severity. This measure included cognitive impairments, level of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles.
Researchers say further research is needed to understand the condition, as well as why it affects men and women differently. "There is mounting clinical and preclinical evidence of sexual dimorphism in Alzheimer's predisposition, but no underlying mechanisms are known. Our work points to differential cellular processes involving non-neuronal myelinating cells as potentially having a role," author of the study Davila-Velderrain, told a news portal. Adding, "It will be key to figure out whether these discrepancies protect or damage the brain cells only in one of the sexes and how to balance the response in the desired direction on the other." The study's findings were originally published in the journal Nature.
Meanwhile, previous research has found that coffee can help protect against Alzheimer's disease. "Coffee consumption does seem to have some correlation to a decreased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease," author of the study Dr Donald Weaver told a news portal.