Baylor researchers find Sox9 boost clears Alzheimer's plaques in mice
Updated
Updated · ScienceDaily · May 2
Baylor researchers find Sox9 boost clears Alzheimer's plaques in mice
9 articles · Updated · ScienceDaily · May 2
In Nature Neuroscience, the team reported six-month tests in symptomatic mouse models showed preserved memory and thinking after astrocytes were activated by higher Sox9 levels.
Raising Sox9 increased astrocytes' plaque-eating activity and structural complexity, while lowering it accelerated amyloid buildup and impaired the cells' ability to clear deposits.
The findings suggest a potential Alzheimer's treatment strategy focused on the brain's support cells rather than neurons, though researchers said more work is needed to understand Sox9 in humans.
If boosting Sox9 in mice clears Alzheimer's plaques and preserves memory, what hurdles must be overcome before this approach helps human patients?
How might astrocyte-targeted treatments reshape our understanding and management of not just Alzheimer's, but other neurodegenerative diseases?
Boosting Sox9-MEGF10 Pathway in Astrocytes: A Novel Therapeutic Strategy for Alzheimer's Disease
Overview
A landmark 2025 study revealed that increasing the protein Sox9 in astrocytes, the brain's support cells, boosts their ability to clear harmful amyloid plaques linked to Alzheimer's disease. Sox9 upregulates the MEGF10 receptor, enabling astrocytes to recognize and engulf these plaques more effectively. This enhanced clearance preserves memory and cognitive function in mouse models. Conversely, reducing Sox9 impairs astrocyte function, leading to faster plaque buildup and cognitive decline. Unlike current antibody treatments that activate microglial immune responses and can cause side effects, the Sox9 pathway offers a natural, potentially safer way to harness astrocytes for plaque removal and neuroprotection.