PLA2G4E. Novel treatment for Alzheimer's disease

Ana García Osta

  • PROJECT LEADER

    Ana García Osta

  • HOST ORGANIZATION,
    COUNTRY

    Fundación para la Investigación Médica Aplicada (FIMA/CIMA), Navarra, Spain

  • DESCRIPTION

    Several longitudinal studies have revealed that one third of people who died without dementia meet pathological criteria for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The identification of molecular mechanisms underlying this discordance may open new avenues in the search for new treatments.

    A new target for AD has been identified by studying cognitive resilient AD mice. Adeno-associated viral vector-mediated overexpression of the PLA2G4E gene in hippocampal neurons completely restores cognitive deficits in AD mice. Ana Garcia and team have identified PLA2G4E as a candidate gene for resilience in Alzheimer's disease and a new target for dementia treatment.

    Overexpression of hippocampal PLA2G4E restores cognitive function in a mouse model of AD by targeting synaptic plasticity. Using gene therapy to increase PLA2G4E expression represents an innovative and promising strategy to fight AD. The results of this proposal could be considered as a potential pre-clinical development that may attract the interest of companies and investors.