Alzheimer’s disease profoundly impacts memory and cognition, disrupting lives and placing heavy burdens on families and caregivers. With an aging global population, addressing this growing crisis is more urgent than ever. Scientists are racing to uncover the disease’s mechanisms to develop treatments that improve life for millions.
The Hidden Power of Proteostasis
At the heart of this breakthrough is proteostasis, the delicate cellular system that ensures proteins are correctly folded and functional. As we age, this system’s efficiency declines, leading to the build-up of toxic protein aggregates—an underlying cause of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
A new study, led by researchers Prof. Ehud Cohen and graduate student Huadong Zhu from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Institute for Medical Research Israel–Canada (IMRIC), along with Dr. Yonatan Tzur from the Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, all of whom at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has uncovered a promising way to address these underlying causes, carrying far-reaching implications.
Bridging Cellular Science and Real-World Impact
The research identifies that a nucleolar complex, FIB-1-NOL-56, is a central player in regulating proteostasis at the cellular level. By suppressing the activity of this complex in laboratory models, the team observed a significant reduction in the toxic effects of Alzheimer’s associated proteins.
The researchers discovered that this mechanism works by modulating TGF-β signaling, a pathway critical to cell growth and tissue maintenance. Enhancing this signaling boosts the cell’s natural defenses, offering new insights into how the body manages cellular stress. “By uncovering how cells communicate to maintain protein integrity, we’re opening the door to the development of preventive therapeutic approaches that could delay disease onset and significantly improve quality of life of the elderly,” Prof. Cohen explains.
“By uncovering how cells communicate to maintain protein integrity, we’re opening the door to the development of preventive therapeutic approaches that could delay disease onset and significantly improve quality of life of the elderly.” Prof. Ehud Cohen, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Hebrew University of Jersualem
A Hopeful Future for Families
Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s affect millions worldwide and place emotional and physical strain on families and caregivers. This research suggests a future where aging need not lead to debilitating conditions, offering hope for more meaningful moments with aging relatives, fewer medical crises, and greater independence.
Turning Discoveries into Therapies
While these findings are a major milestone, translating them into treatments will require further research. However, the potential impact is immense, offering hope for therapies that could reduce the effects of neurodegenerative diseases and redefine healthy aging.
The study, titled “A nucleolar mechanism suppresses organismal proteostasis by modulating TGF-β/ERK signaling,” is published in Nature Cell Biology. Learn more about the research here.
Researchers:
Ehud Cohen, Huadong Zhu, Reut Bruck-Haimson, Adam Zaretsky, and Irit Cohen, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the Institute for Medical Research Israel – Canada (IMRIC). The Faculty of Medicine of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Yonatan Tzur and Hanna Achache, Department of Genetics, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is Israel’s premier academic and research institution. With over 23,000 students from 90 countries, it is a hub for advancing scientific knowledge and holds a significant role in Israel’s civilian scientific research output, accounting for nearly 40% of it and has registered over 11,000 patents. The University’s faculty and alumni have earned eight Nobel Prizes, two Turing Awards a Fields Medal, underscoring their contributions to ground-breaking discoveries. In the global arena, the Hebrew University ranks 81st according to the Shanghai Ranking. To learn more about the University’s academic programs, research initiatives, and achievements, visit the official website at http://new.huji.ac.il/en