Chinese scientists have discovered a new mechanism of "pathogenic protein" in Alzheimer's disease

Xinhua News Agency, Hefei, February 10 (Xinhua Xu Haitao) lipoprotein E (ApoE) is one of the highest levels of protein in the human brain, its variant lipoprotein E4 is the biggest risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, but its pathogenic mechanism has been unclear. Recently, a team of researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China, Professor Liu Qiang, found that this "pathogenic protein" inhibits the metabolism of neuron cells, revealing the root causes of learning and memory impairment in Alzheimer's patients.
two main types of cells, neuron cells and glial cells in the human brain. Neuron cells are responsible for receiving stimulation, generating excitement and transmitting information in the form of nerve impulses, while the main function of glial cells is to support neurons through material metabolism. Lipoprotein E is secreted mainly by glial cells and then transmitted to neuron cells.
" this transport not only provides nutrients to neuron cells, we found that lipoprotein E can also inhibit the anabolic pathways of neuron cells themselves, thereby enhancing the neuron's information transmission function. Professor Liu Qiang said. Recently, their team used new methods of gene transcription and metaphysical analysis to find that the lipoprotein variant E4 lost inhibitory regulation of neuron metabolism, causing neuron cells to fail to effectively activate the expression of learning and memory-related genes, leading to cognitive impairments such as learning and memory in Alzheimer's patients.
study sheds light on the new mechanisms by which lipoprotein E4 causes Alzheimer's disease, providing new directions and tools for future treatments.
, neurons, a well-known academic journal in the field of international neuroscience, published the results of the study.