UBC Researchers Uncover a New Link Between Amyloid-β Proteins & Dementia
Have you ever heard of Amyloid-β proteins? Most likely, the answer is no. Their anonymity isn’t surprising since their function is a mystery, even to researchers. What scientists do know, however, is that these proteins can be produced all over our body—from blood vessels, to platelets, to muscle tissue. Additionally, new research from the University of British Columbia has now uncovered another interesting characteristic of these mysterious proteins. It turns out they can be quite nomadic in nature.
UBC researchers have found that, by mobilizing through the channels of the circulatory system, Amyloid-βs are able to travel to the brain, where they can accumulate to form plaques that contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s. This means that it’s not simply Amyloid-β proteins created by the brain’s neurons that lead to Alzheimer’s. They can end up in brain tissue, even if they didn’t start there to begin with.
By shifting the understanding of Amyloid-β proteins and their mobility, the scope for treatment has also broadened. Researchers can now look at new drug therapies that focus on organs, other than the brain, where the proteins are produced, such as the kidney or liver. Treatments targeting these organs would likely be less risky than drug therapies involving the brain.
The words ‘Amyloid-β proteins’ may not mean much to most people, but furthering our understanding of them through research may prove pivotal in discovering new ways of treating and preventing Alzheimer’s disease, and for the thousands across Canada affected by it, this certainly means a lot.
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