April 30, 2024

New Potential Drug Target for Alzheimer’s Disease Discovered

Scientists have performed a detailed research study on the interactions between ApoE, a protein involved in cholesterol transportation, and heparan sulfate, a cell surface area sugar molecule, both connected to Alzheimers disease. Their findings, focusing on the significance of a particular adjustment of heparan sulfate, point to a prospective drug target for slowing the diseases development: enzymes known as heparan sulfate 3-O transferases. A variation of ApoE, ApoE4, is the most significant genetic risk for late-onset Alzheimers illness.
All isoforms of ApoE acknowledged 3-O-S, however the differences in their strength of interactions associated with Alzheimers illness threat.
” As our population ages, Dr. Wangs research study on Alzheimers disease is significantly significant,” stated Deepak Vashishth, director of Rensselaers Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D.

Wangs group investigated not only ApoE4, but ApoE3, the most typical ApoE genotype and two protective isoforms ApoE2 and ApoE Christchurch. They discovered that the 3-O-sulfo (3-O-S) adjustment of HS was necessary for ApoE/HS interactions. All isoforms of ApoE acknowledged 3-O-S, but the differences in their strength of interactions associated with Alzheimers illness threat.
” In the initial glycan range experiment, which is generally a chip with a collection of various heparan sulfate oligosaccharides on it, we streamed ApoE over it,” stated Mah. “We were rather surprised to see that it had a binding pattern that looked extremely comparable to Tau protein. It binds effectively to the 3-O sulfated structures.”
Tau protein is implicated in numerous neurogenerative illness, consisting of Alzheimers.
The teams findings point to a new prospective drug target to slow the progress of the illness: the enzymes accountable for sulfation called heparan sulfate 3-O transferases.
Next, the team plans to take a deeper take a look at ApoE/HS interaction by establishing a 3D structural design of ApoE-HS interaction and examining this interaction in cell cultures and animal models.
” Alzheimers disease is extremely complex with many aspects,” said Wang. “The more I study it, the more fascinating it gets.”
” Ultimately, we wish to avoid or alleviate enough of the symptoms of Alzheimers disease so individuals can continue to live independently,” added Mah. “Understanding how the illness works on a molecular basis is actually vital to finding new treatments.”
” As our population ages, Dr. Wangs research on Alzheimers disease is increasingly substantial,” said Deepak Vashishth, director of Rensselaers Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D. For Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, of which Wang is a member. “The recognition of a brand-new possible drug target to combat this progressive illness is enormously exciting for not just the 6 million clients in the United States however also for their families and caregivers.”
Recommendation: “Apolipoprotein E Recognizes Alzheimers Disease Associated 3-O Sulfation of Heparan Sulfate” by Dylan Mah, Dr. Yanan Zhu, Dr. Guowei Su, Prof. Jing Zhao, Dr. Ashely Canning, Dr. James Gibson, Dr. Xuehong Song, Dr. Eduardo Stancanelli, Dr. Yongmei Xu, Prof. Fuming Zhang, Prof. Robert J. Linhardt, Prof. Jian Liu, Lianchun Wang and Prof. Chunyu Wang, 4 April 2023, Angewandte Chemie International Edition.DOI: 10.1002/ anie.202212636.
Wang and Mah were participated in research by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institutes Ashely Canning, James Gibson, Fuming Zhang, and Robert J. Linhardt. Yongmei Xu, Xuehong Song, and Lianchun Wang of the University of South Florida contributed, along with Guowei Su and Jian Liu of Glycan Therapeutics; Jing Zhao of China Agricultural University; and Yongmei Xu, Eduardo Stancanelli, and Jian Liu of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Scientists have conducted a thorough research study on the interactions between ApoE, a protein included in cholesterol transport, and heparan sulfate, a cell surface sugar molecule, both linked to Alzheimers disease. Their findings, concentrating on the importance of a specific adjustment of heparan sulfate, point to a potential drug target for slowing the diseases development: enzymes known as heparan sulfate 3-O transferases. Credit: Dylan Mah
Chunyu Wang, Ph.D., teacher of life sciences at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has actually included to his body of research on Alzheimers illness with his latest findings just recently released in the journal Angewandte Chemie.
Together with his team, that includes very first author and Rensselaer doctoral trainee Dylan Mah, Wang conducted the most thorough analysis to date of the relationship between Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and heparan sulfate (HS). ApoE is a protein that binds with fats to assist in the transportation of cholesterol throughout the body, whereas heparan sulfate is a sugar molecule situated on cell surface areas, important for cellular communication. A variation of ApoE, ApoE4, is the most significant genetic danger for late-onset Alzheimers illness.
Chunyu Wang. Credit: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
” Its enormously intriguing to explore why ApoE4 can increase Alzheimers risk,” stated Wang.