Researchers at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore have identified a potential target for Alzheimer’s disease treatment within the brain’s immune cells, specifically microglia. Their discovery of a “metabolic switch” indicates that blocking this switch can enhance the microglia’s ability to clear toxic beta-amyloid proteins, which are detrimental to nerve cells. In Alzheimer’s patients, microglia are often damaged and inefficient at removing this toxic buildup. By preventing a key enzyme from attaching to the cells’ energy-generating components, the researchers managed to restore the microglia’s waste-removal function by improving their energy production.
Their study, published in February 2023, revealed the role of a biomolecule called the translocator protein in efficiently generating energy for microglia. Additionally, when the translocator protein is absent, an enzyme called hexokinase-2 is activated, leading to inefficient energy production, which impairs the microglia’s cleanup process. This work lays the groundwork for developing drugs that target the metabolism of brain immune cells, with the hope of creating treatments that enable microglia to more effectively clear beta-amyloid, potentially combating Alzheimer’s disease, which affects millions globally.
