脳細胞を覆う“骨格ゲートキーパー”がアルツハイマー防御に寄与(Skeleton ‘Gatekeeper’ Lining Brain Cells Could Guard Against Alzheimer’s)

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2026-02-11 ペンシルベニア州立大学(Penn State)

ペンシルベニア州立大学の研究は、脳血管を覆う内皮細胞の細胞骨格が“門番”として機能し、アルツハイマー病から脳を守る可能性を示した。血液脳関門の透過性は細胞骨格の構造制御に依存しており、その破綻が有害物質の流入や炎症を招き、神経変性を促進する。研究では特定の細胞骨格関連経路を調節することで関門機能を安定化できることを示唆。脳血管バリアの維持がアルツハイマー病予防・進行抑制の新たな治療標的となる可能性を示した。

<関連情報>

膜関連周期骨格は、シグナル伝達を駆動力とする正のフィードバックループを介して、ニューロンにおける主要なエンドサイトーシスを制御する Membrane-associated periodic skeleton regulates major forms of endocytosis in neurons through a signaling-driven positive feedback loop

Jinyu Fei, Yuanmin Zheng, Caden LaLonde, Yuan Tao, and Ruobo Zhou
Science Advances  Published:11 Feb 2026
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aeb0803

脳細胞を覆う“骨格ゲートキーパー”がアルツハイマー防御に寄与(Skeleton ‘Gatekeeper’ Lining Brain Cells Could Guard Against Alzheimer’s)

Abstract

Endocytosis enables neurons to internalize molecules, maintaining homeostasis and responsiveness. The neuronal membrane–associated periodic skeleton (MPS), an actin spectrin–based cytoskeletal lattice, is known to restrict clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) in axons, but its broader role in other neuronal compartments and endocytic pathways remains unclear. Here, we show that all four major endocytic pathways—CME, caveolin-, flotillin-, and fast endophilin–mediated endocytosis—are spatially gated by the MPS and occur exclusively within MPS-free “clearing” zones throughout all neuronal compartments. Disrupting the MPS broadly enhances both basal and ligand-induced endocytosis. We also identify a previously unknown feedback loop in which ligand-triggered endocytosis activates extracellular signal–regulated kinase signaling, promoting protease-mediated spectrin cleavage and MPS disruption, which in turn facilitates further endocytosis. Furthermore, the MPS limits amyloid precursor protein endocytosis, thereby suppressing Aβ42 production and linking MPS integrity to neurodegeneration. Our findings establish the MPS as a dynamic, signal-responsive modulator coupling membrane trafficking with cortical cytoskeletal organization and neuronal health.

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