Can a Protein Controlling Blood Pressure Enhance Immune Responses and Prevent Alzheimer’s?

A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation and conducted by Cedars-Sinai researchers found that genetically targeting certain immune blood cells to overproduce the enzyme angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), broke down defective proteins in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease and prevented cognitive decline in laboratory mice bred to model the disease. The study demonstrates for the first time that ACE, which is largely known for its effects outside the central nervous system, can induce a protective immune response in the brain and affect cognition. The study also shows how ACE, as a naturally occurring enzyme, can have either detrimental or beneficial effects, depending on how and where it is active. To read more about this study, click here.