Lactylation: A New Way to Stop Harmful Protein Build-up in Alzheimer's
Research shows lactylation of amyloid precursor protein reduces plaque formation and preserves memory in mice with Alzheimer's disease, pointing to potential new treatment approaches.
Scientists found that adding lactate molecules to proteins can prevent harmful amyloid build-up in Alzheimer's disease.
Scientists have found a new way that our bodies might naturally protect against Alzheimer's disease. Their research focuses on a process called lactylation - where lactate, a molecule produced during exercise, attaches to proteins.
The team found that lactylation helps break down a protein called APP before it can form harmful amyloid plaques in the brain. When they increased lactylation in mice with Alzheimer's, the animals formed fewer plaques and maintained better memory.
What This Means:
- Your body can use lactate to modify proteins in ways that prevent Alzheimer's-related damage
- This process happens less in people with Alzheimer's disease
- Increasing lactylation might be a new way to treat the disease
The Research:
- Scientists studied brain tissue from both humans and mice
- They identified specific sites where lactate attaches to the APP protein
- When they mimicked this attachment, it led to fewer amyloid plaques
- Mice injected with lactate showed improved memory
Limitations and Considerations:
- The research was done primarily in mice
- We don't yet know if increasing lactylation is safe long-term
- There might be competing modifications on the same protein sites
- The study doesn't address existing brain damage
"Developing drugs that ameliorate abnormal post-translational modifications is a challenge for the field," note researchers Gibson and Zhang, highlighting both the promise and complexity of this approach.
This research opens a new direction for Alzheimer's treatment, but we need more studies to understand how to safely target this process in humans.
