Copper's effects on the brain's choroid plexus
The Role of Copper in Choroid Plexus
['FUNDING_R01'] · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · NIH-11145879
This project looks at how copper moves through the tissue that makes cerebrospinal fluid and how that might matter for people with Alzheimer's and related brain conditions.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11145879 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will study how copper is handled by the choroid plexus, the tissue that produces cerebrospinal fluid, using laboratory experiments and mouse models. They will measure the amounts, locations, and interactions of copper transport proteins (Atp7a, Atp7b, Ctr1) and copper-binding proteins over different stages of brain development. The team will compare normal mice to a Wilson disease mouse model and selectively remove key transporters in choroid plexus cells to see how that changes copper entry into the young brain. These findings aim to link choroid plexus copper balance to processes that could influence Alzheimer’s and other neurological diseases.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living with Alzheimer's disease or Wilson disease, or adults interested in future trials about brain copper regulation, would be most relevant to follow this research or be potential candidates for later human studies.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate treatment changes or those without neurodegenerative or copper-related conditions may not get direct or immediate benefit because this is preclinical laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal how copper imbalance arises in the brain and point to new targets for diagnosing or treating Alzheimer’s and other copper-related brain disorders.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has linked copper misbalance to Alzheimer’s and Wilson disease, but focusing on copper transport through the choroid plexus is a relatively new, mostly preclinical direction.
Where this research is happening
BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES
- JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY — BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: LUTSENKO, SVETLANA — JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: LUTSENKO, SVETLANA
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions: Alzheimer disease dementia, Alzheimer syndrome, Alzheimer's Disease