EC Neurology

Aging elevates the risk of developing various neurodegenerative diseases, although the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases are poorly understood. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder and it is associated with the selective damage of brain regions and neural circuits which are critical for memory and cognition. Although AD was discovered many years ago pharmacological therapies are still not very effective in preventing disease progression. Inactivation of the Polycomb group gene BMI1 in mice resulted in growth retardation, cerebellar degeneration, and development of a premature aging-like phenotype.

In this study, we induced AD in a rat model by AlCl3 and thereafter checked the expression of BMI1. Intriguingly, protein and gene expression assays showed upregulation in BMI1 expression in the induced AD model. The study indicates that BMI1 could serve as a valuable target for therapeutic intervention in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Besides that, it can be considered as a potential biomarker for early AD diagnosis, as early detection could significantly impact treatment outcomes.

Keywords: β-Amyloid; Tau; BMI1; p53; Alzheimer’s Disease; Neurodegenrative Disease

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