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Researchers have identified miR-519a-3p as a potential early biomarker for Alzheimer’s, linked to prion protein expression, promising improvements in diagnosis and treatment for millions worldwide. This molecule is directly associated with the expression of the cellular prion protein located on the surface of nerve cells. The research, conducted by the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, paves the way for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease.

A new study conducted by the Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology group at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and the University of Barcelona has discovered a novel biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease in its asymptomatic stages. The biomarker, miR-519a-3p, is a microRNA that is closely associated with the regulation of the cellular prion protein (PrPC). This protein is known to be deregulated in individuals afflicted with neurodegenerative conditions including Alzheimer’s disease.



The search for biomarkers that are stable and easily detectable in biofluids, such as microRNAs, offers hope for detecting Alzheimer’s disease in its early, asymptomatic stages. Early detection could significantly improve the diagnosis and treatment of this disease, which affects more than 35 million people worldwide. Light microscopy image of a section of post-mortem human frontal cortex from a patient with Braak grade VI (most advanced) Alzheimer’s disease.

Neurons with high levels of tau protein can be seen. Credit: .

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