Sugar-driven changes to brain proteins in Alzheimer's disease
Non-enzymatic post-translational modifications as drivers of AD pathology
This project looks at whether sugar-related chemical changes to tau and other brain proteins help cause Alzheimer's, especially in people with type 2 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boulder, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11310162 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
For someone with Alzheimer's, this research uses human stem-cell-derived brain cells to recreate how high blood sugar and sugar-related chemicals change tau and other brain proteins. The team measures how these chemical changes affect protein clumping, neuron damage, inflammation, and mitochondrial stress using detailed lab and biophysical tests. They will study different reactive sugar-derived compounds and a molecule called DOPEGAL to see how these changes alter neuron-to-neuron signaling and cause toxicity. The goal is to build a clear molecular picture linking diabetes-like chemistry to Alzheimer's so future diagnostics or treatments can target these non-enzymatic changes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with Alzheimer's disease, especially those who also have or had type 2 diabetes or chronic high blood sugar, would be most relevant to this research.
Not a fit: Patients without Alzheimer's or without diabetes/high blood sugar are unlikely to see direct short-term benefits from these lab-based findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new diagnostic markers or drug targets that prevent or reverse harmful sugar-driven protein changes in Alzheimer's.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has linked diabetes-related chemistry and advanced glycation end products to Alzheimer's pathology, but applying these findings to specific tau modifications and DOPEGAL effects in human cell models is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Boulder, UNITED STATES
- University of Colorado — Boulder, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Walczak, Maciej — University of Colorado
- Study coordinator: Walczak, Maciej
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.