Protein is Linked to Brain Cell Death
Posted on: Tuesday, 18 July 2006, 18:00 CDT
Ohio neuroscientists have found evidence that protein in the brain's immune cells triggers a cascade of reactions that leads to neural cell death.
The Case Western Reserve University researchers say the unregulated free radical production eventually leads to the neural cell death found in Alzheimer's disease.
The primary goal of the study was to evaluate potential signaling intermediates upstream from the oxidation, said the researchers. They had an interest in a group of signaling molecules (guanine nucleotides exchange factors) that are known to activate oxidation. The multi-domain protein Vav was selected from the group for study.
The inflammatory response, arising when the microglia connects with the plaque, has been suspected of producing the oxidative damage observed in AD. The current study builds on prior research that produced evidence of the microglia mounting the inflammatory immune response by whittling down the various components in that reaction.
The scientists -- Brandy Wilkinson, Jessica Koenigsknecht-Talboo, Christian Grommes, C.Y. Daniel Lee, and Gary Landreth - also found Vav plays a critical role in the initial microglial response to the plaque.
The research is detailed in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Source: United Press International
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