Scientists at USC have discovered that an experimental drug can restore aging liver cells in rats, cutting levels of amyloid beta—a protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease—by half and lowering bad cholesterol to youthful amounts after just two weeks of treatment.
- Drug cinaciguat revives key liver cell functions in aged rats
- Amyloid beta protein and bad cholesterol levels significantly reduced
- Could lead to new therapies targeting liver to prevent Alzheimer’s and heart disease
What happened
Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC conducted a study on older rats using an experimental drug called cinaciguat. The treatment restored the function of specialized liver cells known as liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs), which tend to lose important filtering capabilities with age. After two weeks, levels of amyloid beta, a protein associated with Alzheimer’s, dropped by 50 percent. At the same time, levels of LDL cholesterol, often called bad cholesterol, returned to those typical of much younger rats.
The study also uncovered a previously unknown communication system between liver cells that helps clear harmful substances from the bloodstream. This discovery suggests that aging-related decline in this system could contribute to the buildup of damaging compounds linked to Alzheimer's and cardiovascular diseases. The findings were published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Why it feels good
This research offers hope by shifting the focus from the challenging task of delivering drugs directly to the brain—a process hindered by the protective blood-brain barrier—to targeting the liver, a more accessible organ with a central role in filtering the blood. Targeting liver cell aging might reduce substances that contribute to age-related diseases in distant organs like the brain and the arteries.
Given the extremely high failure rate in Alzheimer’s drug trials focused on the brain, this new route could provide a promising alternative. Improving liver function to lower amyloid beta and bad cholesterol levels could lead to safer, more effective preventative therapies for Alzheimer’s and atherosclerosis.
What to enjoy or watch next
While these exciting results so far have only been demonstrated in rats, the next step involves extensive translational studies to determine if similar benefits arise in humans. If successful, this could pave the way for new drugs designed to enhance the liver’s filtering ability and prevent the buildup of disease-related proteins and fats.
For those interested in advances in aging and disease prevention, following updates from USC’s ongoing research and other studies on liver health could be rewarding. Future therapies might change how we approach common age-related diseases by focusing on this vital but often overlooked organ.