The transcription factor RORB is a marker of several populations of neuron that are lost early in the course of Alzheimer disease (AD), according to new research published in Nature Neuroscience. The gene expression profiles of these cell populations could provide insights into the mechanisms of selective neuronal vulnerability in AD.
The tendency for some neurons to die early in the course of AD and for others to survive longer has been well characterized at the gross anatomical and network levels; however, less is known about selective vulnerability at the level of individual cells. The new study was led by Lea Grinberg and Martin Kampmann, who aimed to identify molecular signatures of vulnerable cell populations in AD.
