Research Progress
Multi-Gene Synergy Drives Alzheimer's Disease Pathology
June 1, 2026
Professor Yao Yonggang's team at KIZ has unveiled the molecular mechanism by which multiple genes at the Alzheimer's disease risk locus 11p11.2 cooperate to drive mitochondrial impairment and neuronal apoptosis.
Research Findings:
- Three genes (MTCH2, NDUFS3, PSMC3) show concurrent downregulation in AD patients and mouse models
- Multi-gene knockdown synergistically disrupts mitochondrial complex I function and activates caspase-7-mediated apoptosis
- Treatment with apoptosis inhibitor Q-VD-OPh reduced Aβ plaque burden and improved learning/memory in APP/PS1 mice
Clinical Implications:
This research provides a new paradigm for understanding complex genetic networks in AD and identifies caspase-7-mediated apoptosis as a potential therapeutic target for multi-gene network-based combination therapies.
