Blood test potential for Alzheimer's detection and new cancer cell destruction method

Researchers have identified a potential blood biomarker for Alzheimer's disease. A study published in PNAS Nexus reveals that levels of the peptide HAEE are significantly lower in individuals with clinical Alzheimer's compared to healthy individuals. HAEE was previously developed by Lifemission and the Russian Academy of Sciences to prevent amyloid-beta protein aggregation by inhibiting zinc ions. While the findings suggest HAEE could serve as a diagnostic biomarker, researchers noted that further studies are required to determine if low levels result from decreased production or increased consumption during the disease process. The study also highlighted limitations, including the need to verify if the peptide can detect the disease before symptoms appear and the necessity of distinguishing Alzheimer's from other forms of dementia.

In a separate medical development, scientists at Yokohama City University have developed an experimental system called ‘dMMR Killer’ to target cancer cells. The method utilizes synthetic DNA fragments that activate a killer gene specifically in cancer cells with defects in the DNA mismatch repair system. This system has shown success in laboratory cell cultures and in mice carrying human tumors by inhibiting tumor growth while sparing healthy cells. Although promising for tumors that do not respond to immunotherapy, the treatment is currently limited to cancers with this specific genetic deficiency and has not yet undergone human clinical trials.