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​Scientists Successfully Remove Alzheimer's From Mice In Major Breakthrough

​Scientists Successfully Remove Alzheimer's From Mice In Major Breakthrough

Washington University researchers believe that they have developed a groundbreaking antibody

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine have managed to make a major breakthrough after successfully removing Alzheimer's from mice using a new antibody treatment, the Daily Mail reports.

According to the Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia.

It's believed that the disease prevents brain cells from working properly, with amyloid beta protein 'plaques' building up in the spaces between nerve cells and interfering with neural signals - resulting in cognitive and memory losses.

However, the Washington University researchers believe that they have developed an antibody that can remove the proteins that these plaques are made of.

In the new study, which has been published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, the scientists experimented with an antibody that matched not with the amyloid beta proteins, but a smaller Alzheimer's protein found within them, which is called APOE.

They found that the antibody not only targets the APOE protein, but also removes plaques.

"Many people build up amyloid over many years, and the brain just can't get rid of it," said senior author Dr David Holtzman.

"By removing plaques, if we start early enough, we may be able to stop the changes to the brain that result in forgetfulness, confusion and cognitive decline."

For six weeks, mice were given weekly injections of the antibodies or a placebo, with one antibody - HAE-4 - cutting the level of plaques by half.

"It turns out that the APOE in the plaques has a different structure than the form of APOE found in the blood," Holtzman said.

"The HAE-4 antibody recognized only the form found attached to the plaques in the brain."

PA

Holzman explained that the antibodies that successfully target APOE are also less likely to trigger a destructive response from the immune system.

"The anti-amyloid antibodies are going to be binding to most of the molecules that are in the plaque, but the anti-APOE antibody would target just a very small component of the plaque," he said.

"This means we may find less immune activation, and we might not see the unwelcome side effects."

If the treatment is as successful among human as it was with the mice, Holtzman has said that it could become a more effective and safe approach for those whose brains '

If the treatment works as well in humans as it did in the experiments in mice, it may well provide 'build up amyloid over many years and just can't get rid of it'.

"By removing plaques, if we start early enough, we may be able to stop the changes to the brain that result in forgetfulness, confusion and cognitive decline," Holtzman added.

Featured Image Credit: Pixabay

Topics: Science, Dementia, Technology, Medicine

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