Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have identified iron particles in the brain areas most affected by Alzheimer’s disease, specifically Fe3+ iron. The findings appear in Science Advances, underscoring a link between iron metabolism and this neurodegenerative condition.
About ten years ago, scientists described ferroptosis, a form of cell death driven by rising iron levels that has become a focal point in studies of neurodegenerative disorders. In the latest work, the team used magnetic resonance imaging to examine individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. The scans revealed higher brain iron content in those patients, a result that aligns with prior observations in the field and strengthens the iron-associated hypothesis of disease progression.
To probe these ideas further, the researchers created DNA-based fluorescent sensors capable of detecting two distinct iron states, Fe2+ and Fe3+, in cultured cells and in brain tissue from mice. One sensor glows green when Fe2+ is present, while the other glows red in the presence of Fe3+. The accumulation of Fe3+ in the brain has been a consistent finding in Alzheimer’s research, and scientists are hopeful that these sensors will help researchers test drugs that can shift the balance toward Fe2+. Such a shift could help safeguard brain cells and slow disease processes. The work points toward new avenues for therapeutic development and a better understanding of how iron chemistry influences neuron survival in aging brains. Source: Science Advances.