Genetic Factor Causing Alzheimer’s Disease Identified

New Genetic Factor Causing Alzheimer’s Disease Identified
Target Gene Related to Antioxidant Enzyme Metabolism
Contributing to Development of New Therapeutics

There is a forecast that Alzheimer's disease will spread like an epidemic. (The above photo is not related to the article content). Photo by Asia Economy DB

[Asia Economy Reporter Junho Hwang] Domestic researchers have identified a new genetic factor that causes Alzheimer's disease. The research team expects that, along with the pathophysiological elucidation of Alzheimer's patients, the development of new treatments will be possible. Professor Yong Jeong's team from the Department of Bio and Brain Engineering at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced on the 28th that they discovered a new genetic factor causing Alzheimer's disease. The related research results were published in the international journal Neurology.

Discovering a Genetic Factor Causing Alzheimer's Disease

The research team analyzed data from patients with Alzheimer's disease to find a new genetic factor. They used data accumulated from 63 regional research institutions in the United States and Canada, including brain imaging, genetics, and cerebrospinal fluid data from normal individuals, patients with mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's dementia patients. The team also examined approximately 6.2 million single nucleotide polymorphisms in 414 Alzheimer's spectrum patients (amyloid protein-positive patients) and identified a new genetic factor that affects patients' cognitive function independently of amyloid and tau proteins.

In particular, the team succeeded in reproducing the genetic analysis results in independent data and demonstrated through bioinformatics analysis that the genetic factor is related to antioxidant enzyme metabolism. Furthermore, experiments confirmed through brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-calculated cerebral cortex atrophy data and structural equation modeling that this gene induces brain atrophy in the parietal and occipital lobes. This pattern differed from the existing brain atrophy patterns caused by amyloid and tau proteins.

Utilizing as a New Target for Alzheimer's Disease Treatment

Dr. Hangrae Kim, the first author, stated, "Based on these research results, we plan to conduct additional studies to verify the efficacy of antioxidant therapy in patients with this genetic factor."

Meanwhile, Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, and the number of patients worldwide is rapidly increasing due to aging populations. The main causative proteins of Alzheimer's disease are known to be amyloid and tau proteins. Although treatments targeting these proteins have been developed, interest in research on new pathophysiology and therapeutic targets for Alzheimer's disease is growing due to successive failures in new drug development.

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