Proteins are known as the workhorses of our cells, carrying out most of the functions necessary for life. To date, many studies aiming to identify the underlying mechanisms that cause Alzheimer's disease (AD) have focused primarily on our genes, rather than the proteins they encode. In a new study published in Nature Neuroscience on 8 July, researchers use a genomic atlas mapping the proteome of the brain, cerebrospinal fluid and plasma to identify genes with encoded proteins that may contribute to the development of AD.
Using samples gathered from over 1,500 participants from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, of whom almost 800 had an AD diagnosis, the team of researchers (led by Prof. Carlos Cruchaga) used an aptamer-based platform to measure the concentrations of hundreds of different proteins. The proteins identified were then mapped to their respective genetic loci, creating an atlas in which protein levels in different tissues were linked to their underlying genetic variants. Testing the accuracy of this atlas using statistical and AI-based methods, the researchers were able to identify many proteins that were previously known to be linked to the development of AD (APOE, for example), as well as novel pathways that could potentially be targeted using drugs currently prescribed for non-neurological conditions. Summary statistics for the shared dataset are freely available online, with individual-level data accessible through formal request to the study authors.
