WIKIMEDIA, KELVINSONGThe Golgi organelle gets dismantled in neurons affected by Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In a study to be presented at the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) conference this week, researchers show that protecting Golgi from breaking down can actually stall the accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) in a mouse model of the neurodegenerative disorder.
“Our study provides a molecular mechanism for Golgi fragmentation and its effects on APP [amyloid precursor protein] trafficking and processing in AD, suggesting Golgi as a potential drug target for AD treatment,” Yanzhuang Wang of the University of Michigan and colleagues said in a statement.
According to the authors’ poster abstract, the team proposes a pathway in which Aβ accumulation leads to the fragmentation of the Golgi apparatus via a kinase, cdk5. Blocking cdk5’s activity in a mouse model not only protected the integrity of Golgi, but also reduced Aβ. “A major...
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