Two new studies utilizing CRISPR gene editing have brought potential breakthroughs in Alzheimer's disease treatment. One study focuses on reducing the APOE-e4 gene, a common risk factor for Alzheimer's, demonstrating promising results in miniature brain models and humanized mice. Inheriting the APOE-e4 gene doesn’t guarantee a person will develop Alzheimer’s, but having one copy of APOE-e4 increases the risk two- to threefold. Having two of these genes increase the risk by as much as 12 times. The other study targets the amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene, which plays a crucial role in Alzheimer's. Researchers used CRISPR to decrease beta amyloid production, leading to reduced brain plaques, lower inflammation markers, and improved cognitive function in mouse models. These findings, presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference, indicate a significant step forward in developing new therapies for Alzheimer's disease.
The fact that having two of these genes makes the changes of developing this disease 12 times more likely is scary. Its very cool to see technologies advance and new steps being taken to help make Alzheimers more manageable one day, hopefully.
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