cPLA2 enzyme and brain inflammation in Alzheimer's with or without APOE4
Brain cPLA2 as a mechanism for neuroinflammation in AD/ADRD with and without APOE4
This project looks at whether a brain enzyme called cPLA2 links inflammation to faster memory loss in people with Alzheimer's, especially those who carry the APOE4 gene.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11332952 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers are studying a brain enzyme called cPLA2 that is often found near Alzheimer's plaques and may drive harmful inflammation, comparing people who do and do not carry the APOE4 gene using frozen human brain tissue. They will isolate single brain cell types from donated samples and run ex vivo stimulation tests to see how neurons and glia activate cPLA2 and downstream signaling. The team will connect these molecular patterns to the donors' clinical histories and brain pathology to learn whether higher cPLA2 matches faster cognitive decline or more vascular damage. This work uses post-mortem human brain biospecimens and detailed clinical and neuropathological data rather than testing a new drug in living patients.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias, particularly those who know or are willing to learn their APOE4 status and consent to brain donation or the use of their biospecimens and clinical data.
Not a fit: People without cognitive impairment, those unwilling to provide genetic information or post-mortem samples, or anyone seeking an immediate treatment are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify cPLA2 as a target for treatments that reduce brain inflammation and slow memory loss in Alzheimer's disease.
How similar studies have performed: Animal studies and human tissue observations have linked cPLA2 to Alzheimer's pathology and shown cognitive improvement when cPLA2 is reduced in mice, but direct human-focused pathway work like this remains relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, UNITED STATES
- University of Southern California — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yassine, Hussein N — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Yassine, Hussein N
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.