New research suggests that Alzheimer's disease may trigger increased expression of an enzyme called lysozyme, which attempts to counteract amyloid build-up in the brain.
Investigators found that the expression of lysozyme was increased in the brains of both transgenic mice and humans with Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore, lysozyme had favorable effects when expressed in different fly models of Alzheimer's disease.
The findings indicate that lysozyme may represent an important clinical marker of Alzheimer's disease and also point to new therapeutic strategy that may help slow the disease's progression.
"These findings are exceptionally interesting since lysozyme also rescued transgenic Alzheimer flies with the 'Arctic' mutation, a familial aggressive form of Alzheimer's disease," said Dr. Katarina Kagedal, senior author of The FEBS Journal study.
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