Leuven researchers have made a new breakthrough in Alzheimer’s research. They have unraveled a new mechanism that plays a role in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. This is reported by the Alzheimer Research Foundation, which financed the study. The findings could lead to better treatment of Alzheimer’s.
Source: BELGA
Today at 4:06 PM
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 220,000 Belgians suffer from dementia. 60 to 70 percent of them have the most common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease. This concerns millions of people worldwide. According to the WHO, the numbers will increase in the coming years due to an aging population.
Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by progressive loss of cognitive functions, memory impairment and behavioral changes. In recent years, progress has been made in research into the underlying mechanisms of the disease, but there is still no cure.
Calcium balance within lysosomes is disturbed
Important previous research has already shown that the formation of so-called ‘amyloid plaques’ in the brain can be linked to Alzheimer’s. However, new research suggests that there may even be earlier events happening in the brain, before the plaques form, that influence the disease. Thus, the amyloid protein precursor (APP protein) is thought to play a role in these earlier stages. The mechanism behind this has remained a mystery until now.
The VIB researchers, led by Professor Wim Annaert, have discovered that a fragment of this APP protein, called APP-CTF, disrupts the so-called delicate calcium balance within lysosomes. Lysosomes play a role in breaking down waste products in cells.
“First step forward”
Due to the disruption of the calcium balance in the lysosomes, they are less able to break down waste products and cholesterol accumulates. This causes the entire endo-lysosomal system to collapse, which is crucial for maintaining healthy neurons. “The collapse of the lysosomal system causes defects within the nerve cells,” says Professor Annaert. “This could be the first step in effective cell death and the neurodegeneration that follows in Alzheimer’s disease. But to fully discover this, additional research is needed.”
The findings indicate that clearing these toxic APP-CTFs may be relevant for early intervention in AD. “Existing medication often improves cognitive functions by removing the plaques,” says Annaert. “But if we want to prevent the disease from manifesting, it is important to intervene at a time when the plaques are not yet there and to avoid the accumulation of toxic protein fragments. Our research brings more clarity to those phases, it is a first step forward.”
