Using novel genetic and genomic tools, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have shed light on the role of immune cells called macrophages in lipid-rich tissues like the brain, advancing our understanding of Alzheimer's and other diseases.
Mar 21 2024Mount Sinai Health System Using novel genetic and genomic tools, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have shed light on the role of immune cells called macrophages in lipid-rich tissues like the brain, advancing our understanding of Alzheimer's and other diseases. The study, published in the March 6 online issue of Nature Communications , represents a step forward in understanding immune cell regulation and its impact on disease progression.
They identified two influential genes, BHLHE40 and BHLHE41, and used advanced gene editing technology to deactivate them in lab-grown cells. These cells were then transformed into microglia. The resulting microglia lacking BHLHE40 and BHLHE41 resembled disease-associated microglia observed in Alzheimer's disease, showing improved ability to clear cholesterol-rich waste. Confirmation came from experiments on cultured human peripheral macrophages and microglia from mice lacking these genes.
Alison M. Goate, DPhil, senior study author, the Jean C. and James W. Crystal Professor and Chair of Genetics and Genomic Sciences at Icahn Mount Sinai "We want to see how these cells, particularly those without the two genes, impact Alzheimer's-related phenotypes in both dish and mouse models. We predict that in mice, microglia without BHLHE40 and 41 will clear away beta-amyloid plaques more effectively than control microglia that have normal levels of BHLHE40 and 41. Also, we're exploring how lack of these genes in the brain immune cells affect other types of cells in the brain such as neurons and astrocytes," says Dr.
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