Whether L1 mobile DNA elements contribute to Alzheimer's disease
Establishment of a causal link between AD and L1 retrotransposons
Looking at whether activity of L1 mobile DNA in brain cells can cause or worsen Alzheimer's disease in people with Alzheimer-related biology.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11141911 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use cells made from people with and without Alzheimer's (induced pluripotent stem cells) to grow neurons and glial cells and change levels of L1-derived DNA. They will look for effects on neuron health, inflammation signals from glial cells, and whether L1 changes in one cell type harm neighboring cells. The team will measure molecular and cellular signs linked to Alzheimer's to see if boosting L1 activity makes those signs worse. Findings will come from lab experiments on human-derived cells rather than an interventional treatment in people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be people with Alzheimer's disease (or controls) who can provide blood or skin samples for generation of patient-derived cells or who already have banked samples available for research.
Not a fit: People who cannot provide or ship biological samples, those without Alzheimer's-related biology, and patients needing immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to benefit directly from this laboratory-focused work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If L1 activity is shown to drive Alzheimer's-related damage, it could point to new targets for treatments that reduce L1 effects and slow disease progression.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work has found higher L1 expression in postmortem Alzheimer's brain tissue, but no prior studies have proven a causal link, so this experimental approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Muotri, Alysson R. — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Muotri, Alysson R.
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.