Protein That Can Be Toxic in the Heart and Nerves May Help Prevent Alzheimer's

A study in the Journal of Biological Chemistry determined that a protein that can damage the nerves and heart when it accumulates can also block the formation of toxic protein clumps associated with Alzheimer's disease, reports Medical Xpress . When mice modeled to have Alzheimer's disease were genetically modified to produce more transthyretin (TTR), they were slower to develop an Alzheimer's-like malady, while reducing TTR production hastened such cognitive deterioration. University of Texas Southwestern Professor Lorena Saelices said TTR helps transport thyroid hormone and the vitamin A derivative retinol to where they are needed in healthy people and animals. But when the protein separates into molecules called monomers, these individual pieces can form sticky fibrils that cohere into toxic clumps in the heart and nerves to cause amyloidosis. "By solving the mystery of TTR's dual roles, we may be able to offer hope to patients with Alzheimer's," Saelices explained.