Imagine you’re trying to navigate a sprawling city, and you stumble upon a hidden map that reveals the intricate connections between all its neighborhoods. That’s exactly what scientists did with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). By analyzing the molecular network within the human brain, they uncovered two crucial modules filled with genes linked to AD. These modules, known as M3 and M8, showed significant dysregulation in both normal aging and AD. Further analysis revealed that neurons were particularly vulnerable in the progression of AD. Using a powerful screening tool called Connectivity Map, researchers discovered a potential drug candidate: Gly-His-Lys acetate salt (GHK). This candidate could possibly restore the dysregulated genes within the M3 and M8 network. Excitingly, laboratory experiments demonstrated that GHK had a neuroprotective effect against amyloid-beta-induced injury in human neuron-like cells. This groundbreaking study paves the way for novel approaches to combat AD by targeting the intricate molecular network that underlies the disease. If you’re eager to dive into the details of this research and unravel the mysteries of AD, check out the full article!
To identify the molecular mechanisms and novel therapeutic agents of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD), we performed integrative network analysis using multiple transcriptomic profiles of human brains. With the hypothesis that AD pathology involves the whole cerebrum, we first identified co-expressed modules across multiple cerebral regions of the aging human brain. Among them, two modules (M3 and M8) consisting of 1,429 protein-coding genes were significantly enriched with AD-correlated genes. Differential expression analysis of microarray, bulk RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data revealed the dysregulation of M3 and M8 across different cerebral regions in both normal aging and AD. The cell-type enrichment analysis and differential expression analysis at the single-cell resolution indicated the extensive neuronal vulnerability in AD pathogenesis. Transcriptomic-based drug screening from Connectivity Map proposed Gly-His-Lys acetate salt (GHK) as a potential drug candidate that could probably restore the dysregulated genes of the M3 and M8 network. Pretreatment with GHK showed a neuroprotective effect against amyloid-beta-induced injury in differentiated human neuron-like SH-SY5Y cells. Taken together, our findings uncover a dysregulated network disrupted across multiple cerebral regions in AD and propose pretreatment with GHK as a novel neuroprotective strategy against AD.
Dr. David Lowemann, M.Sc, Ph.D., is a co-founder of the Institute for the Future of Human Potential, where he leads the charge in pioneering Self-Enhancement Science for the Success of Society. With a keen interest in exploring the untapped potential of the human mind, Dr. Lowemann has dedicated his career to pushing the boundaries of human capabilities and understanding.
Armed with a Master of Science degree and a Ph.D. in his field, Dr. Lowemann has consistently been at the forefront of research and innovation, delving into ways to optimize human performance, cognition, and overall well-being. His work at the Institute revolves around a profound commitment to harnessing cutting-edge science and technology to help individuals lead more fulfilling and intelligent lives.
Dr. Lowemann’s influence extends to the educational platform BetterSmarter.me, where he shares his insights, findings, and personal development strategies with a broader audience. His ongoing mission is shaping the way we perceive and leverage the vast capacities of the human mind, offering invaluable contributions to society’s overall success and collective well-being.