Necroptosis and Neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's Disease

In the continuously aging, modern population of developing countries, understanding of the mechanisms that contribute to the development to age-related, neurodegenerative diseases is of the utmost importance. Disturbances in cellular regulation, e.g., on the level of the signaling of cell death might significantly contribute to the occurrence, propagation and severity of pathophysiological states such as the occurrence and development of Alzheimer’s disease. Especially, cell death pathways that are involved in the progression of the inflammatory response, one of the hallmarks of AD, are of highest interest. Importantly, detailed knowledge about this specific type of inflammatory cell death pathway, its spatial and temporal distribution in AD brains might allow us to identify potential therapeutic strategies to prevent neurodegeneration.

In the continuously aging, modern population of developing countries, understanding of the mechanisms that contribute to the development to age-related, neurodegenerative diseases is of the utmost importance. Disturbances in cellular regulation, e.g., on the level of the signaling of cell death might significantly contribute to the occurrence, propagation and severity of pathophysiological states such as the occurrence and development of Alzheimer’s disease. Especially, cell death pathways that are involved in the progression of the inflammatory response, one of the hallmarks of AD, are of highest interest. Importantly, detailed knowledge about this specific type of inflammatory cell death pathway, its spatial and temporal distribution in AD brains might allow us to identify potential therapeutic strategies to prevent neurodegeneration.

Dr. Charles Glabe is Professor, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at the University of California at Irvine. He earned his doctorate degree from the University of California, Davis and post-doctoral training at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and University of California San Francisco School of Medicine. Dr. Glabe has published key work on the relationship between the structure and function of amyloid in degenerative diseases. He has published extensively on the mechanisms of amyloid accumulation in Alzheimer’s disease. He has received a network award from the Larry L. Hillblom Foundation to support his work. Dr. Glabe has served as a scientific advisor to the National Institutes of health, the German Science Foundation and the Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Harvard University Massachusetts General Hospital.