WIKIMEDIA, KGHAt the core of Alzheimer’s disease are amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides, which self-assemble into protein fibrils that form telltale plaques in the brain. Now, the results of a study published today (January 4) in Nature suggest that certain fibril formations are more likely to appear in cases of rapidly progressive Alzheimer’s disease, as opposed to less-severe subtypes. The findings increase scientists’ understanding of the structure of these fibrils, and may eventually contribute to new tests and treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.
“It is generally believed that some form of the aggregated Aβ peptide leads to Alzheimer’s disease, and it’s conceivable that different fibril structures could lead to neurodegeneration with different degrees of aggressiveness,” said coauthor Robert Tycko, a principal investigator at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Disease. “But the mechanism by which this happens is uncertain. Some structures may be more inert and benign. Others may be more inherently toxic or prone to spread throughout the brain tissue.”
Prior research has demonstrated that Aβ fibrils with various molecular structures exhibit different levels of toxicity in neuronal cell cultures, a finding confirmed in subsequent mouse trials. One study even demonstrated that Aβ fibrils cultured from patients with rapidly progressive Alzheimer’s disease are different in ...
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