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Updated: Oct 1, 2026

Biochemical Purification and Proteomic Characterization of Amyloid Fibril Cores from the Brain
Published on: April 28, 2022
The YTHDF proteins modulate Alzheimer's disease-associated brain gene signatures
Shinya Tasaki1, Denis R Avey2, Nicola A Kearns2
1Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA. stasaki@gmail.com.
Abstract:
Gene signatures of Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains reflect the output of a complex interplay of genetic, epigenetic, epi-transcriptomic, and post-transcriptional regulations. To nominate candidate factors modulating these signatures, we developed a machine learning model to integrate cellular and molecular features explaining differential gene expression in AD. Among the features tested, YTHDF proteins, the canonical readers of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification, are among the most influential predictors of AD gene signatures. Protein modules containing YTHDFs were downregulated in human AD brains, and knockdown or pharmacological inhibition of YTHDFs in iPSC-derived 2D and 3D neuronal models recapitulated key AD-associated gene signatures. Furthermore, eCLIP-seq revealed altered YTHDF binding to transcripts in AD brains, at both m6A-dependent and m6A-independent sites. Together, these results support an important role for YTHDF proteins in modulating AD-associated gene signatures in the human brain.
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