A new therapeutic approach can tackle some forms of dementia. Discovered how to move damaged brain cells from a sick to a healthy state.
A recent American study has managed to discover a new therapy to combat some forms of dementia . In practice, it turned out how to move damaged brain cells from a diseased to a healthy state. A valid treatment path for diseases such as Alzheimer’s and other dementia pathologies.
At the center of the discovery was microglia . They are cells that stabilize the brain by eliminating damaged neurons, protein plaques associated with dementia or other brain diseases.
Now, using a new CRISPR method we’ve developed, we can find out how to actually control these microglia, to get them to stop generating toxic substances and go back to their vital cleaning jobs. This ability offers the opportunity for a whole new type of therapeutic approach. Most of the genes known to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s act through microglial cells. Therefore, these cells have a significant impact on how these neurodegenerative diseases manifest themselves.
Martin Kampmann, senior author of the study
Microglia acts as the brain’s immune system . Ordinary immune cells are unable to cross the blood brain barrier. Thus it is the microglia’s job to clear waste and toxins, keeping neurons functioning at their best. If the microglia start to lose, then there can be brain inflammation and neuron damage. In some cases it can also remove synapses between neurons.
Kampmann and his study team want to understand which genes are involved in microglia activity and their regulation. By gaining this knowledge, genes could then be switched on and off by putting the rebel cells in line. Microglia are resistant to the CRISPR technique. A technique that involves placing desired genetic material into the cell using a virus to guide it. Here the expert Kampmann has “convinced” the stem cells of volunteers to turn into microglia.
In practice, a new platform has developed that combines a form of CRISPR that allows researchers to deactivate and activate single genes. Furthermore, there are data relating to the functions and states of individual cells of the microglia. Thus it was possible to know the existence of genes that affect the cell’s ability to survive and proliferate. Furthermore, also understanding how much a cell actively produces inflammatory substances and how aggressively a cell can prune synapses.
In this way, knowing the genes that control these activities, the scholars and the expert were able to restore the genes. So as to restore the diseased cell to a healthy state. Kampmann expects to be able to investigate and find specific molecules that act on the genes useful to restore diseased cells to a state of full health.
- A study on cells reprogrammed to fight Alzheimer’s (agi.it)
