A protein known as SORLA can reduce the toxic effects of tau tangles linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys showed that higher levels of the protein limited brain atrophy and preserved neuron connections in mice. The findings were published July 17 in Science Advances.
Mice engineered to produce extra human SORLA showed less tau accumulation and maintained healthier synapses than those without the added protein. In contrast, mice lacking SORLA experienced worsened damage from the tangles.
Timothy Huang, who led the study, noted that SORLA had already been linked to reduced amyloid-beta buildup. The new work extends that protection to tau-related processes.
The team also identified a potential drug target in glial cells that could be modulated to counter tauopathy effects. Further experiments are planned to test SORLA changes in human cells grafted into mouse brains.
