Which brain cells are most vulnerable to tau in early Alzheimer's
Single-cell transcriptomic and epigenomic analysis of brain cell vulnerabilities to tauopathies in early AD impacted brain regions
Researchers are analyzing individual brain cells from mouse models with human Alzheimer's genes to find which cell types are harmed by tau so future treatments for people with Alzheimer's can be guided.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11299572 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project will look at individual brain cells to see which ones are damaged by tau protein in brain regions affected early in Alzheimer's. Researchers will use single-cell RNA sequencing and single-cell epigenomic (ATAC-seq) methods on several genetically modified mouse models that include human APOE4 or humanized tau (MAPT) genes. They will compare models with severe neuron loss to those without to map vulnerable cell types and disrupted molecular pathways in specific brain circuits. The work aims to create a detailed cellular and molecular map that could guide future treatments or biomarkers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with early-stage Alzheimer's disease or carriers of the APOE ε4 gene are the patient groups most likely to benefit from findings of this research.
Not a fit: People without Alzheimer's disease or those with advanced late-stage dementia are unlikely to see direct benefits from this laboratory research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to specific brain cell types and pathways to target for new Alzheimer's treatments or biomarkers.
How similar studies have performed: Single-cell studies have already found disease-linked changes in brain cell types, but combining single-cell transcriptomics and epigenomics with humanized tau and APOE mouse models is a relatively new and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Irvine, United States
- University of California-Irvine — Irvine, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xu, Xiangmin — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Xu, Xiangmin
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.