The gut microbiome (GMB) is comprised of trillions of microorganisms that reside in the intestinal tract. Evidence suggests that the bacterial composition of the GMB is altered in Alzheimer’s disease patients compared to healthy controls (some species increase in abundance while others decrease); a finding that has also been observed in some mouse models of AD. Recent studies suggest that changes in the gut microbiome may directly contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Mechanisms that may mediate this link are still mostly unknown. Early research is beginning to identify potential routes by which changes in the gut can impact the brain and pathologies related to Alzheimer’s disease such as amyloid plaque deposits. Some areas of focus include the disruption of the entire ecosystem or a role for specific resident microbes, peripheral inflammation that impacts the brain through interactions with the vasculature or the brain’s resident innate immune cells (glia), and even the direct spread of microbes from the gut to the brain.
The projects of this consortium represent a multi-faceted approach to investigating the mechanisms by which the microbiome impacts AD progression. The projects of this consortium will increase the field’s understanding of this important emerging area and its relevance to developing novel therapeutics for people who might develop or who are living with Alzheimer’s disease.
MICROBIOME CONSORTIUM: FUNDED RESEARCHERS
Laura M. Cox, Ph.D., Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Chair of the CureAlz Microbiome Consortium
John P. Haran, M.D., Ph.D., University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
David Holtzman, M.D., Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Rob Knight, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego
Beth A. McCormick, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
Sangram S. Sisodia, Ph.D., University of Chicago
Rudolph Tanzi, Ph.D., and Nanda Kumar Navalpur Shanmugam, Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School
Robert Vassar, Ph.D., Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
MICROBIOME CONSORTIUM: PUBLISHED PAPERS
Chandra, S., & Vassar, R. J. Gut microbiome-derived metabolites in Alzheimer’s disease: Regulation of immunity and potential for therapeutics, Immunological Reviews, October 24, 2024, Read More
Chandra, S., & Vassar, R. The role of the gut microbiome in the regulation of astrocytes in Alzheimer’s disease, Neurotherapeutics, July 24, 2024, Read More
Zhu, Y., Self, W. K., & Holtzman, D. M. An emerging role for the gut microbiome in tauopathy, Neurotherapeutics, July 3, 2024, Read More
Wasén, C., Beauchamp, L. C., Vincentini, J., Li, S., LeServe, D. S., Gauthier, C., Lopes, J. R., Moreira, T. G., Ekwudo, M. N., Yin, Z., da Silva, P., Krishnan, R. K., Butovsky, O., Cox, L. M., & Weiner, H. L. Bacteroidota inhibit microglia clearance of amyloid-beta and promote plaque deposition in Alzheimer’s disease mouse models, Nature Communications, May 8, 2024, Read More
- To learn more about the discoveries of this study, visit The gut microbe bacteroides fragilis may be connected to Alzheimer’s disease