Scientists Make Breakthrough Discovery of New Therapeutic Targets for Alzheimer's

Medical Xpress reports that research from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has identified new therapeutic targets for Alzheimer's disease (AD) with a newly-developed brain analysis technique. The researchers studied the functions of specific cell types in the postmortem brains of AD patients, creating a comprehensive profile of cell-type-specific changes in the transcriptome. Subsequent analysis flagged AD-associated cell subtypes and pathological pathways, citing a subpopulation of endothelial cells in the brains' blood vessels. Elevated formation of new blood vessels from current ones and immune system activation in this subpopulation is linked to AD pathogenesis, implying a connection between the dysregulation of blood vessels and the disorder. The team also identified novel targets for restoring neural homeostasis in people with AD, and pinpointed the mechanism by which the cytokine interleukin-33 could potentially function as a therapeutic intervention. The researchers detailed their findings in a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , and a second study in Cell Reports .