Immune protein B7-1 and nerve cell damage in Alzheimer's disease
Immunomodulatory ligand B7-1 targets p75 neurotrophin receptor in neurodegeneration
Looking at whether blocking the immune protein B7-1 can protect brain cells in people with Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11457048 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers found that the immune protein B7-1 binds the nerve cell receptor p75, a connection that appears only in primates but can affect mouse neurons when human B7-1 is added. They used an unbiased protein-protein interaction screen to map where B7-1 attaches to p75 and showed overlap with regions that bind CTLA-4 and CD28. In lab-grown mouse hippocampal neurons, human B7-1 caused loss of synaptic proteins and changes to dendrites and spines in a p75-dependent way. The team showed that the FDA-approved protein abatacept (CTLA-4-Fc) can block these harmful effects and plans further in vivo work to explore therapeutic potential.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or Alzheimer-type dementia, especially older adults or those in earlier stages who are open to mechanism-focused research, would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: People without Alzheimer's, those with non-neurodegenerative conditions, or patients with very advanced dementia are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic-mechanism work in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to protect neurons from immune-driven damage in Alzheimer's and might support repurposing an existing drug (abatacept) for treatment.
How similar studies have performed: Some preclinical research supports immune-modulating approaches to change neuroinflammation, but applying CTLA-4/abatacept to protect neurons in Alzheimer's is relatively new and has not yet been proven in clinical trials.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hempstead, Barbara L — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Hempstead, Barbara L
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.