Scientists at Baylor College of Medicine have discovered a special enzyme that can convert healthy tau protein in the brain into a toxic tau protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Research results It was published In Nature Neuroscience.
Tau protein, which normally protects the structure and functionality of neurons, begins to fold incorrectly and accumulate in strange “tangles” in the brain in Alzheimer’s patients. Such clusters prevent neurons from communicating with each other, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior.
Although scientists have long known that the tau protein plays a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, the mechanism by which it converts to a “harmful” form is not fully understood.
To understand the causes of these pathological changes, the research team conducted a study on genetically modified mice in which tau protein accumulated in the brain. It turns out that the enzyme tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) is responsible for converting healthy tau protein into toxic tau protein.
An enzyme is a complex protein compound that performs important functions in the body by speeding up reactions and making them more efficient. But TYK2, which plays a central role in the immune system, can sometimes add a special marker to the tau protein that prevents it from being cleared properly from the brain.
In an additional experiment, scientists used genetic tools to block the production of TYK2 in mice with Alzheimer’s disease. This resulted in a decrease in both the total amount of tau protein in the brain and the “bad” tau protein with the added label. The animals’ neurons also showed signs of recovery.
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