Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 10, 2026

Detection of Neuritic Plaques in Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Model
Published on: July 26, 2011
A perspective: PLA2G4A as drug target for vascular inflammation in Alzheimer's disease
Ambreen Kanwal1, Bilal E Kerman2, Shaowei Wang2
1Department of Genetics, Washington University in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
Abstract:
Anti-amyloid therapies for Alzheimer's disease (AD) modestly slow cognitive decline but carry significant risk of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIAs), brain swelling, and hemorrhage, particularly in apolipoprotein E ε4 carriers. Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) and vascular inflammation drive this vulnerability, highlighting the need for complementary strategies targeting upstream mechanisms of vascular injury. Cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) regulates arachidonic acid and lysophosphatidylcholine-derived lipid signaling at the intersection of amyloid burden, oxylipin dysregulation, blood-brain barrier disruption, and neurovascular inflammation. By depleting protective membrane plasmalogens while amplifying inflammatory lipid mediators, cPLA2 creates a state of vascular vulnerability predisposing to ARIAs. This Perspective article synthesizes evidence from human, preclinical, and translational studies positioning cPLA2 as an upstream driver of CAA-related inflammation and vascular vulnerability in AD. We discuss biomarker and imaging approaches to assess cPLA2 activity in vivo and outline how targeting this pathway may enhance anti-amyloid therapy safety by mitigating ARIA risk.
More Related Videos
10:36In Vitro Assays to Assess Blood-brain Barrier Mesh-like Vessel Formation and Disruption
Published on: June 20, 2017
08:27Establishment of a Valuable Mimic of Alzheimer's Disease in Rat Animal Model by Intracerebroventricular Injection of Composited Amyloid Beta Protein
Published on: July 29, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Alzheimer's Disease: Treatment
Alzheimer's Disease: Overview
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ...
Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism
Antiplatelet Drugs: Prostaglandin Synthesis, P2Y12 and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors
Prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors, exemplified by the widely known aspirin, wield their power by irreversibly acetylating...
Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Three Subfamilies of Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated ion channels fall into three subfamilies. The 'Cys-loop' includes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors. The second one is the 'Pore-loop' channels that...
Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein
SV2A is a transmembrane glycoprotein located predominantly in the brain, modulating the release of neurotransmitters for neuronal communication. Both levetiracetam and brivaracetam exhibit a high affinity for...