Engineered brain cells could revolutionize Alzheimer's treatment
Technology
Scientists at Washington University have created special brain cells that cut Alzheimer's-related plaque by half in mice.
Using engineered astrocytes, they cleared out harmful proteins, opening up new possibilities for future treatments.
Modified virus shows promise in plaque prevention
Mice treated with the modified virus before plaques formed didn't develop buildup at all, and older mice saw a 50% drop in plaques.
The new approach could offer advantages over standard antibody drugs, which often need repeat infusions and come with risks.
Patent filed for groundbreaking technology
The team has filed a patent for this technology.
Senior author Marco Colonna called it the first successful engineering of astrocytes, and is hopeful it could help treat not just Alzheimer's, but other brain diseases too.