Rutgers Health researchers have discovered that brain immune cells from individuals with a high genetic risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD) exhibit different behaviors compared to cells from low-risk individuals when exposed to alcohol. This finding could contribute to a better understanding of why some people are more susceptible to developing alcohol-related problems and potentially lead to personalized treatment approaches.
Rutgers Health researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery regarding alcohol use disorder (AUD). Their study reveals that brain immune cells, specifically microglia, from individuals with a high genetic predisposition for AUD exhibit distinct behaviors compared to cells from those with a low risk when exposed to alcohol.
This finding could shed light on why some individuals are more susceptible to developing alcohol-related problems and pave the way for more personalized treatment approaches. Professor Zhiping Pang, a neuroscientist and cell biologist at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and a core member at the Rutgers Brain Health Institute, explained that this is the first study to demonstrate how genetic variations that increase the risk of AUD affect brain cell function. The research team utilized a simplified model, but Pang emphasized that as these models become more sophisticated, they will gain a deeper understanding of the intricate processes occurring in the brain. He expressed hope that their discoveries will lead to the development of novel treatment strategies, as current options for AUD are limited.According to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly 28.9 million people aged 12 and older in the United States struggle with AUD. Scientists have long recognized that AUD has a hereditary component, with genetic factors contributing to 40% to 60% of the risk. However, the precise biological mechanisms underlying this genetic influence remained elusive until now. The research team obtained blood samples from two distinct groups: individuals with both a high genetic risk for AUD and a diagnosed alcohol problem, and individuals with a low genetic risk and no history of alcohol problems. They transformed these blood cells into stem cells and guided their development into microglia, a type of brain-based immune cell. Subsequently, they exposed these two groups of cells, one derived from high-risk individuals and the other from low-risk individuals, to alcohol levels that mimicked those observed in the blood following alcohol consumption.Xindi Li, the lead author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow at the Child Health Institute of New Jersey, revealed that the microglia from high-risk individuals exhibited significantly higher activity compared to those from low-risk individuals after alcohol exposure. These highly active cells engaged in more synaptic pruning, the process of removing connections between neurons in the brain. This increased pruning activity, according to the researchers, could have profound implications. Li explained that after years of alcohol consumption, individuals with these genetics may face an elevated risk of dementia because their microglia pruned a larger number of connections, potentially impairing neuronal function.
ALCOHOL USE DISORDER GENETICS MICROGLIA BRAIN CELLS TREATMENT
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