Curie Brief
Turn on cookies to sign in
Signing in saves your progress to your Curie account. We can only do that with cookies on — turn them on to continue.
News
Scientists discover a new dimension of Alzheimer's disease buried in how DNA folds. Researchers found that the 3D structure of the genome is disrupted in brain cells of Alzheimer's patients, affecting which genes get switched on or off. The findings, published in Science, open a fresh avenue for understanding — and potentially treating — the disease beyond the usual amyloid and tau suspects.
Scientists have long focused on amyloid plaques and tau tangles as the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease — but a new study published in Science reveals there's another layer hiding in plain sight: the 3D folding of the genome itself. Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Washington found that the physical organization of DNA inside brain cells is significantly disrupted in Alzheimer's patients, altering how genes are regulated and how brain cells are arranged in tissue.
To make this discovery, the team used GAGE-seq — a cutting-edge technique that simultaneously measures gene expression and 3D genome contacts within individual cells — alongside spatial transcriptomic mapping of intact brain tissue. They also developed Hicformer, an AI model that integrates DNA sequence data with genome-folding patterns to predict gene activity across different cell types.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: These findings establish 3D genome organization as a new, previously underexplored component of Alzheimer's molecular pathology. By identifying which structural changes in the genome drive disease progression, researchers now have a roadmap for pinpointing new therapeutic targets — potentially transforming how future Alzheimer's treatments are developed.
