People with Alzheimer’s disease are far less likely to develop cancer, and MUSC Hollings Cancer Center researchers may have uncovered a reason why. A protein that harms brain cells in Alzheimer’s disease appears to boost the immune system’s cancer-fighting power. By studying how this protein and a natural molecule called fumarate affect immune cell energy, the team discovered new ways to “recharge” aging immune cells. Their work could open the door to innovative therapies that not only fight cancer but also slow immune aging and possibly inform future treatments for Alzheimer’s.

Aging brain shows deterioration of blood-brain barrier (BBB), but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Guo et al, from Massachusetts General Hospital, reported that the effects of astrocytes on endothelial cell permeability depend on the “age” of astrocytes, and increased angiotensinogen expression in senescent astrocytes may be one of the mediators. These data suggest the importance of cell-cell interaction in neurovascular unit, and point towards a potential therapeutic approach to rescue BBB in aging brain.

Huntington’s disease is a rare genetic disorder and a representative neurodegenerative disease, characterized by loss of motor control, cognitive decline, and psychiatric problems. An international research team has discovered that the “huntingtin protein,” the causal protein of Huntington’s disease (whose mutations are the direct cause of the disease), also performs a new function: directly organizing the cytoskeleton, the fine structural framework inside cells. This discovery is expected to contribute not only to understanding the pathogenic mechanism of Huntington’s disease, but also to research on neurodevelopmental disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, as well as muscle- or mobility-related diseases such as muscular dystrophy.

The brains of beached bottlenose dolphins in Indian River Lagoon, Florida, show the presence of both cyanobacterial toxins and Alzheimer's-like neuropathology. The concentration of the cyanobacterial toxin 2,4-DAB is 2,900 times greater during cyanobacterial bloom season than other times of the year. During blooms, 536 different genes associated with Alzheimer's are expressed in the dolphin brains. Since dolphins are sentinels for marine toxic exposures, there may be implications of this discovery for human health.