Harvard scientists revealed how the key protein of Alzheimer's disease is formed and is expected to develop new therapies

Recently, researchers from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) published a study related to Alzheimer's disease in Cell Reports under the "Cell", revealing the troubles that have been troubled for many years.

The corresponding author of this study is Professor Rudolph Tanzi, a well-known neurogeneticist.

The symptoms of Alzheimer's disease patients are related to the dysfunction and death of brain nerve cells.

"We know that beta amyloid is formed in the axons of nerve cells in the brain, but we don't know how it is formed.

As early as 2013, scientists discovered that APP protein first undergoes a process called palmitoylation (palmitoylation) to form palAPP, and then produce beta amyloid.

The newly published study shows that a special lipid raft called "mitochondrial-associated endoplasmic reticulum membranes (MAMs)" in neurons is the place where APP protein is processed by β-secretase and makes β-amyloid protein.

▲Activation of S1R protein can up-regulate the formation of β-amyloid in MAM, and vice versa (picture source: reference [1])

Based on this discovery, researchers tried to reduce the number or activity of MAM through gene therapy or drugs.

Professor Tanzi said: "Our findings indicate that S1R may be a viable therapeutic target for specifically reducing the production of amyloid β in axons.

Note: The original text has been deleted

Reference materials:

[1] Bhattacharyya, R.

[2] Getting to the Root of Alzheimer's.

[3] Study solves mystery of how amyloid beta, a key player in Alzheimer's, forms in brain nerve cells.