Scientists find a new layer of Alzheimer’s hidden in the genome
Scientists have discovered that the three-dimensional folding of the genome in brain cells is altered in patients with Alzheimer's disease. By integrating this structural data with gene activity, researchers hope to identify new biological mechanisms for potential treatments.
Why it matters
Understanding the physical organization of the genome provides a new frontier for diagnosing and treating neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the University of Washington have uncovered a previously underexplored feature of Alzheimer's disease that may help scientists identify new avenues for treatment.
The study, published in Science , found that the three-dimensional organization of the genome differs in certain brain cells from people with Alzheimer's disease. Scientists from SCS's Ray and Stephanie Lane Computational Biology Department, Pitt's Department of Neurobiology, and collaborating institutions connected these changes in genome folding with shifts in gene activity and the organization of brain tissue.
To build this detailed picture, the team combined single-cell technology, spatial mapping of brain tissue, and a newly developed deep learning model.
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