Including the formation of glial cells and beta amyloid plaques, affecting the progression of Alzheimer’s disease

[메디컬투데이=조민규 기자] Research has shown that glial cells may play an important role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Research results showing that glial cells may play an important role in producing amyloid beta, a protein associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease, were published in ‘Nature Neuroscience’.

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common forms of dementia, with millions of patients worldwide. The cause and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease are still not clearly known, and it is assumed that the cause is an excessive accumulation of amyloid beta, an abnormal protein, in the brain, leading to the destruction of nerve cells.

Amyloid beta is known to accumulate between nerve cells, forming intractable plaques and causing cell damage. Glial cells are the most widespread cells in the brain and are known to assist nerve cells in carrying out their functions and also play a key role in recovering brain tissue from damage.

The researchers found that glial cells produce beta amyloid through the BACE1 enzyme. The researchers selectively activated BACE1 expression in mouse neurons and granule cells. They then studied beta amyloid plaque formation in the whole brain using 3D microscopy.

As a result of the experiment, plaque formation was reduced by about 30% in granule cells without the BACE1 enzyme, while plaque formation was reduced by more than 95% in nerve cells.

The researchers explained that plaques only form when amyloid beta is present above a certain level in nerve cells, and at this point, glial cells contribute to plaque accumulation.

Experts hoped that stopping the BACE1 enzyme before the threshold for beta amyloid plaque formation could delay the formation of plaques and thus slow the early progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

The researchers concluded that glial cells are involved in the formation of beta-amyloid plaques, which affect the early progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Medical Today Reporter Cho Min-gyu ([email protected])

[저작권자ⓒ 메디컬투데이. 무단전재-재배포 금지]