Targeting inflammation and APOE4 to reduce Alzheimer's protein buildup and restore brain cleanup
Neuroinflammation, Protein Aggregates, ApoE4 Drug Targeting, and Autophagy Rescue
This project will develop drugs that lower brain inflammation and block harmful APOE4 effects to help people with Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Arkansas for Med Scis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Little Rock, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11285141 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research focuses on how chronic brain inflammation and the APOE4 gene cause buildup of amyloid and tau proteins in Alzheimer's disease. Researchers will develop and test chemical agents that bind GFAP to prevent protein aggregation and will try approaches to stop APOE4 from blocking TFEB-driven autophagy. The team will work with human brain tissue from AD patients, laboratory models, and drug-development experiments to see if these approaches restore the brain's ability to clear toxic proteins. If the lab findings look promising, they could lead toward early clinical testing at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, especially those who carry one or two copies of the APOE ε4 gene.
Not a fit: People without Alzheimer's or whose disease is not driven by APOE4-related mechanisms may not directly benefit from these specific approaches.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could slow Alzheimer's progression by reducing toxic protein clumps and restoring cells' ability to clear waste.
How similar studies have performed: Related anti-inflammatory and autophagy-targeting approaches have shown promise in lab and animal models but have not yet produced widely effective treatments in humans.
Where this research is happening
Little Rock, United States
- Univ of Arkansas for Med Scis — Little Rock, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Griffin, Sue Tilton — Univ of Arkansas for Med Scis
- Study coordinator: Griffin, Sue Tilton
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.