The most common form of Alzheimer’s disease could be caused by the disruption of a single gene in the human body, says a new study conducted by a team of Quebec scientists. Called BMI1 gene could be at the origin of up to 95% of the cases of Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Gilbert Bernier and his team, a researcher from the University of Montreal, began studying the BMI1 gene in 2009 after studies highlighted its role in the accelerated and pathological aging of the brain and eyes in mice.
In the course of his work, Dr. Bernier has discovered that inhibiting the BMI1 gene in humans is associated with the onset of the common form of Alzheimer’s disease.
In particular, the analysis of brains of people who died from the disease showed that the gene no longer functioned properly, while brains of people who died from other diseases had no problems with the BMI1 gene.
It should be noted, however, that no gene disorders have been observed in patients with early-onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
BMI1 gene dysfunction is linked to Alzheimer’s disease development
Scientists have been able to produce human neurons in the laboratory by furthering their research. They then inactivated the BMI1 gene in these neurons and, soon, all the neuropathological marks associated with Alzheimer’s disease appeared in the neurons, thus confirming the causal link between the dysfunction of the BMI1 gene and the Alzheimer’s disease development.
According to the researchers, stopping the gene would lead to an overproduction of beta-amyloid and Tau proteins which are toxic to the brain.
In parallel, neurons would become less able to eliminate these toxins.
Quebec scientists hope to find a way to reactivate the BMI1 gene in patients
The researchers have even founded a company called StemAxonTM whose goal is to commercialize a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease based on the study’s results.
According to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, more than 500,000 Canadians are currently living with a form of Alzheimer’s disease and is predicted that by 2031 there will be 1,5 million Canadian suffering from cognitive disorders.
Dr. Bernier and his team say that one in two people over the age of 90 will develop a more or less serious form of the disease.
