The Prospects for LANDO Upregulation as a Treatment for Alzheimer ' s Disease

Of late, researchers have identified a process known as LC3-associated endocytosis (LANDO) by which cells can ingest and then break down the amyloid-β deposits associated with Alzheimer's disease. This raises the idea that perhaps some form of upregulation of LANDO would at least slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, though the balance of evidence to date is beginning to suggest that amyloid-β is the wrong target, at least in later stages of the condition. Researchers here show that, in animal models, LANDO can reduce the inflammation of brain tissue associated with neurodegenerative conditions, a finding that makes this approach perhaps more interesting. The chronic inflammation of aging is strongly implicated in the progression of neurodegeneration, and may be the primary mechanism linking various forms of early pathology and environment exposure to the much more harmful later stages of Alzheimer's disease. The researchers previously discovered the LANDO pathway in microglial cells, the primary immune cells of the brain and central nervous system. Scientists found that when genes required for this pathway are deleted, Alzheimer's disease progression accelerates in a mouse model. The investigators also showed that LANDO protects against neuroinflammation, one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. While continuing to investigate LANDO, the researchers identified a novel function of the protein ATG16L. This protein is critical for autophagy, the normal pro...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs