Study: Fatty lipids in brain’s immune cells’ link to Alzheimer’s
Recent research on Azheimer’s identified a significant link between the APOE4/4 gene, a known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s, and the abnormal accumulation of fatty lipid droplets in microglia, the brain’s immune cells.
The study, published in Nature in March of this year, found that the Aβ protein, responsible for plaque formation in Alzheimer’s brains, triggers microglia to produce and store excess fats, particularly in individuals with the APOE4/4 variant.
The APOE4 variant is slightly more prevalent and elevates the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, while also being associated with a more severe manifestation of the illness.
These fatty cells then release substances that damage brain cells and stimulate the production of phosphorylated Tau, contributing to the formation of protein tangles associated with neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s patients. This research underscores the role of fat metabolism in microglia, especially in those with the APOE4/4 variant, in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
Related: Discovery of immune system genes that trigger Alzheimer’s disease
It also establishes biological connections between classical Alzheimer’s pathology and the involvement of lipid-related genes like APOE and inflammatory microglia in driving neurodegeneration.
The findings suggest the potential for targeting these processes as a new avenue for Alzheimer’s therapies. If scientists can devise methods to prevent the accumulation or transfer of harmful fats to microglia, particularly in individuals with the APOE4/4 gene, it may be possible to slow down or prevent the disease.
Choline: wonder supplement against the havoc of APOE4
The APOE4 gene has been touted as a significant genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease is the APOE4 gene, present in nearly half of all Alzheimer’s patients. A study conducted by MIT reveals that this gene profoundly impacts brain cells’ lipid metabolism and stress response mechanisms. Through experiments with human brain cells and yeast cells, researchers demonstrated that APOE4 disrupts normal cellular functions. Interestingly, supplementing these cells with choline, a readily available and safe dietary supplement, reversed many of these detrimental effects. The MIT researchers highlighted the potential of choline supplementation to delay or protect against dementia and Alzheimer’s in APOE4 carriers.
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Sources:
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute – Stanford/MIT
