{"id":658413,"date":"2026-08-27T01:19:22","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T01:19:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/658413\/"},"modified":"2026-08-27T01:19:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T01:19:22","slug":"nanoparticle-therapy-reverses-alzheimers-progression-in-mice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/658413\/","title":{"rendered":"Nanoparticle Therapy Reverses Alzheimer\u2019s Progression in Mice"},"content":{"rendered":"

Researchers at the University of South Carolina have developed a nanoparticle-based treatment that appears to improve performance on standard memory and learning tests as well as reduce brain inflammation and levels of amyloid-beta in mice with Alzheimer\u2019s disease by converting star-shaped brain cells called astrocytes into functioning neurons.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Alzheimer\u2019s<\/a><\/p>\n

Alzheimer\u2019s disease remains irreversible largely because the adult brain cannot replace lost neurons; Wang et al. present a Nano-ERASER-based Trim-Away system that enables adult neuroregeneration in Alzheimer\u2019s brain. Image credit: Wang et al., doi: 10.1016\/j.celbio.2026.100575.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlzheimer\u2019s disease is the most prevalent cause of dementia and remains without a therapy capable of reversing cognitive decline,\u201d said University of South Carolina\u2019s Professor Peisheng Xu and colleagues.<\/p>\n

\u201cPathologically, Alzheimer\u2019s disease is characterized by extracellular A\u03b2 deposition, neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated tau, synaptic loss, and neuronal death.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCurrent FDA-approved treatments, including cholinesterase inhibitors, memantine, and anti-amyloid monoclonal antibodies, offer modest symptomatic benefit or partial slowing of progression but do not halt neurodegeneration or restore lost neuronal circuits.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough amyloid-lowering biologics reduce plaque burden, their clinical efficacy remains limited, and concerns such as amyloid-related imaging abnormalities, restricted patient eligibility, and high treatment burden underscore the need for alternative strategies that restore neural function through regenerative mechanisms.\u201d<\/p>\n

In their research, the authors studied a polymer nanogel system called Nano-ERASER that uses antibodies to degrade targeted proteins.<\/p>\n

They used the system to permeate the blood-brain barrier and enter astrocytes, which are star-shaped support cells abundant in the central nervous system.<\/p>\n

Within the astrocytes, Nano-ERASER deployed antibodies to break down a protein called PTBP1, triggering the astrocytes to convert to neurons.<\/p>\n

Compared to gene-editing tools like CRISPR, Nano-ERASER does not modify DNA and its cell reprogramming is reversible.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe hope this can be more effective and also safer,\u201d Professor Xu said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t need to worry about the potential side effects caused on the genetic level.\u201d<\/p>\n

First, the researchers applied Nano-ERASER to human astrocyte cultures, as well as human organoids designed to mimic brains with Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n

In both models, PTBP1 levels were reduced, prompting the conversion of astrocytes to neurons. Further testing revealed these new neurons were functional.<\/p>\n

Next, the researchers treated mice with Alzheimer\u2019s disease. Over several weeks, their nesting skills recovered, and they completed a water maze more efficiently than before, suggesting improved learning and memory.<\/p>\n

In addition, the mouse brains showed increased neuron density and reduced neuroinflammation and amyloid-beta protein buildup, a hallmark of Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter just two injections, these mice became smarter,\u201d Professor Xu said.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven after one injection, we already saw these mice\u2019s behavior differ from that of the nontreated ones.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe findings mark a critical step in regenerative neuroscience, in part because previous research has debated whether PTBP1 suppression alone could induce in vivo neuroregeneration.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThough this study does not prove that Nano-ERASER treats Alzheimer\u2019s disease in humans, it offers a roadmap for a potential cure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe plan to evaluate the platform for longer-term efficacy, test it in nonhuman primates, and one day begin human clinical trials.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we can advance it to the clinic, then we can have hope for patients with Alzheimer\u2019s disease.\u201d<\/p>\n

The team\u2019s paper<\/a> was published today in the journal Cell Biomaterials.<\/p>\n

_____<\/p>\n

Mingming Wang et al. Reverse the progression of Alzheimer\u2019s disease through Nano-ERASER-based adult neuroregeneration. Cell Biomaterials, published online August 26, 2026; doi: 10.1016\/j.celbio.2026.100575<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Researchers at the University of South Carolina have developed a nanoparticle-based treatment that appears to improve performance on…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":658414,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[78],"tags":[869,75666,230719,159,10401,2834,18,135,3293,19,17,5989,18340,75474,278304,29859,13360,40688,23275,186997,80451,170,278305],"class_list":["post-658413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-alzheimers-disease","tag-astrocyte","tag-beta-amyloid","tag-brain","tag-cognition","tag-cognitive-function","tag-eire","tag-health","tag-human","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-learning","tag-memory","tag-mouse","tag-nano-eraser","tag-nanoparticle","tag-neurodegeneration","tag-neuroinflammation","tag-neuron","tag-neuroregeneration","tag-organoid","tag-protein","tag-ptbp1"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/117164846555867125","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/658413","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=658413"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/658413\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/658414"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=658413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=658413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=658413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}