Blocking chemical lets cells feast on brain plaques

June 9, 2008 | Source: New Scientist news service

Yale University researchers have found that transgenic mice predisposed to develop brain plaques, and with a gene that also blocks TGF-beta, performed better on various mazes than mice with brain plaques alone, and had up to 90 per cent fewer plaques in their brains.

Blocking TGF-beta apparently allowed macrophages (immune cells that digest unwanted materials) to get across the blood-brain barrier into the brain. A TGF-beta blocker could have a similar effect on humans with Alzheimer’s.