Mary Wilson
Well-known member
MAY 31, 2022
by University of Cambridge
The researchers from the University of Cambridge used sensors small and sensitive enough to detect temperature changes inside individual cells, and found that as amyloid-beta misfolds and clumps together, it causes cells to overheat.
In an experiment using human cell lines, the researchers found the heat released by amyloid-beta aggregation could potentially cause other, healthy amyloid-beta to aggregate, causing more and more aggregates to form.
In the same series of experiments, the researchers also showed that amyloid-beta aggregation can be stopped, and the cell temperature lowered, with the addition of a drug compound. The experiments also suggest that the compound has potential as a therapeutic for Alzheimer's disease, although extensive tests and clinical trials would first be required.
The researchers say their assay could be used as a diagnostic tool for Alzheimer's disease, or to screen potential drug candidates. The results are reported in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Alzheimer's disease affects an estimated 44 million people worldwide, and there are currently no effective diagnostics or treatments. In Alzheimer's disease, amyloid-beta and another protein called tau build up into tangles and plaques—known collectively as aggregates—causing brain cells to die and the brain to shrink. This results in memory loss, personality changes and difficulty carrying out daily functions. ...
https://phys.org/news/2022-05-alzheimer-disease-cells-overheat-eggs.html
by University of Cambridge
The researchers from the University of Cambridge used sensors small and sensitive enough to detect temperature changes inside individual cells, and found that as amyloid-beta misfolds and clumps together, it causes cells to overheat.
In an experiment using human cell lines, the researchers found the heat released by amyloid-beta aggregation could potentially cause other, healthy amyloid-beta to aggregate, causing more and more aggregates to form.
In the same series of experiments, the researchers also showed that amyloid-beta aggregation can be stopped, and the cell temperature lowered, with the addition of a drug compound. The experiments also suggest that the compound has potential as a therapeutic for Alzheimer's disease, although extensive tests and clinical trials would first be required.
The researchers say their assay could be used as a diagnostic tool for Alzheimer's disease, or to screen potential drug candidates. The results are reported in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Alzheimer's disease affects an estimated 44 million people worldwide, and there are currently no effective diagnostics or treatments. In Alzheimer's disease, amyloid-beta and another protein called tau build up into tangles and plaques—known collectively as aggregates—causing brain cells to die and the brain to shrink. This results in memory loss, personality changes and difficulty carrying out daily functions. ...
https://phys.org/news/2022-05-alzheimer-disease-cells-overheat-eggs.html
