Kariem Ezzat
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kariemezzat.bsky.social
Kariem Ezzat
@kariemezzat.bsky.social
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The final version is out! Viruses lead to untemplated amyloid formation of proteins in human cerebrospinal fluid even after UV-inactivation, resulting in a drastic depletion of soluble proteins. 1/6
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
SARS-CoV-2 and HSV-1 Induce Amyloid Aggregation in Human CSF Resulting in Drastic Soluble Protein Depletion
The corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic and the resulting long-term neurological complications in patients, known as long COVID, have renewed interest in the correlation between viral infections and neurodegenerative brain disorders. While many viruses can reach the central nervous system (CNS) causing acute or chronic infections (such as herpes simplex virus 1, HSV-1), the lack of a clear mechanistic link between viruses and protein aggregation into amyloids, a characteristic of several neurodegenerative diseases, has rendered such a connection elusive. Recently, we showed that viruses can induce aggregation of purified amyloidogenic proteins via the direct physicochemical mechanism of heterogeneous nucleation (HEN). In the current study, we show that the incubation of HSV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 with human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leads to the amyloid aggregation of several proteins known to be involved in neurodegenerative diseases, such as APLP1 (amyloid β precursor like protein 1), ApoE, clusterin, α2-macroglobulin, PGK-1 (phosphoglycerate kinase 1), ceruloplasmin, nucleolin, 14-3-3, transthyretin, and vitronectin. Importantly, UV-inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 does not affect its ability to induce amyloid aggregation, as amyloid formation is dependent on viral surface catalysis via HEN and not its ability to replicate. Additionally, viral amyloid induction led to a dramatic drop in the soluble protein concentration in the CSF. Our results show that viruses can physically induce amyloid aggregation of proteins in human CSF and result in soluble protein depletion, thus providing a potential mechanism that may account for the association between persistent and latent/reactivating brain infections and neurodegenerative diseases.
pubs.acs.org
This is our best case yet for the evidence of Aβ42 loss of function in Alzheimer's disease (AD). A neuropeptide is a neuropeptide. Ignoring its functions and the fact of its universal depletion in AD and other dementias is a choice made by the field not a scientific mystery. 1/2
For decades, we have tried to suppress γ-secretase, lower Aβ42 levels, or remove amyloid from the brain. We show that PSEN1 mutations already reduce γ-secretase activity and lower Aβ42. Why restoring Aβ42 is the way forward for #Alzheimers, via @Brain1878
academic.oup.com/brain/articl...
Restoring amyloid-β42 and γ-secretase function in Alzheimer’s disease
Espay et al. challenge the view that Alzheimer’s disease is caused by increased gamma-secretase activity and overproduction of Aβ42. Instead, they suggest
academic.oup.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:35 AM
What is the physical basis of "catching a cold"? We attempted to answer this question in this preprint. It has something to do with one of my favorite concepts, phase transition, this time temperature-dependent and not concentration/nucleation dependent.
www.linkedin.com/posts/kariem...
Lipid Composition Controls Temperature-Dependent Viral Immune Response in Human Bronchoalveolar Space | Kariem Ezzat
"Dress well so you don't catch a cold!" is a perennial advice every parent has given their child at some point. In 2020, just before the coronavirus pandemic hit, we were trying to understand what is ...
www.linkedin.com
October 22, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Nice and clear evidence of the synaptogenic properties of Aβ peptides at physiological concentrations from the Südhof lab
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41026542/
Aggregation shifts amyloid-β peptides from synaptogenic to synaptotoxic - PubMed
Whether amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides are synaptogenic or synaptotoxic remains a pivotal open question in Alzheimer's disease research. Here, we chronically treated human neurons with precisely controlled c...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
October 6, 2025 at 10:02 PM
"Trial investigators also observed a reduction in the level of a toxic protein linked to neurodegeneration in the spinal fluid of people who received the therapy." Not true, investigators reported earlier a 40% increase of mHTT in the CSF. (pic. from uniqure.gcs-web.com/news-release...) 1/2
September 26, 2025 at 11:29 AM
An amazing and thrilling story of how scientific inquiry and drug development done correctly can lead to medical wonders
www.statnews.com/2025/06/23/f...
The decades-long journey to Gilead’s twice-a-year HIV prevention drug lenacapavir
Gilead’s twice-a-year HIV prevention drug lenacapavir is 30 years in the making. Here’s the story behind it.
www.statnews.com
June 23, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Due to the fragile nature of our existence & the complexity of our environment, we're equally vulnerable. Vulnerability is the true basis of equality, as explained in this foundational paper by @mlafineman.bsky.social‬. More important to highlight now than ever. openyls.law.yale.edu/handle/20.50...
The Vulnerable Subject: Anchoring Equality in the Human Condition
openyls.law.yale.edu
June 11, 2025 at 1:02 PM
α1-Antitrypsin (A1AT) deficiency is a great example of loss-of-function pathogenesis due to protein aggregation. Aggregates in liver -->⬇️A1AT in plasma --> protein replacement as treatment. Same mechanism for amylin in diabetes: Aggregates in pancreas-->..1/3
www.nature.com/articles/nrd...
June 5, 2025 at 3:41 PM
"frustration shapes the rose’s beauty"
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
May 2, 2025 at 1:41 PM
When the theory is stronger than experiment. The authors struggling to interpret clearly +ve effects of soluble Aβ42 (enhanced differentiation & myelination) as -ve (precocious differentiation & dysregulated myelination!), because it has to be bad, right? 1/2
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Amyloid‐β Dysregulates Oligodendroglial Lineage Cell Dynamics and Myelination via PKC in the Zebrafish Spinal Cord
Amyloid-β peptide induces early oligodendrocyte differentiation and dorsal myelination in the zebrafish larvae spinal cord. Pan-PKC inhibitor Gö6983 restores the aforementioned alterations in oligode....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
April 22, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Happy that this message is finally getting across, that protein overexpression can also lead to loss of function in neurodegenerative amyloid pathologies
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
April 15, 2025 at 10:50 AM
A Chopin nocturne by a killer violin
youtube.com/watch?v=rD3u...
Nocturne No. 20 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. posth. (arr. N. Milstein)
YouTube video by Elissa Lee Koljonen - Topic
youtube.com
March 15, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Happy to see more papers addressing loss of function as a potential pathogenic mechanism in neurodegenerative diseases
febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
FEBS Press
Neurodegeneration is thought to arise due to the disruption of the protein homeostasis. In synucleinopathies, alterations in the levels of functional and aggregated aSyn lead to proteinopenia and pro...
febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
March 6, 2025 at 10:48 AM
A good illustration of how new detection technologies are finding direct evidence of viral involvement in neurodegenerative diseases, something that was difficult before & led to the premature exclusion of viruses from disease etiology & the birth of the prion hyp. 1/3
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
Anti-herpetic tau preserves neurons via the cGAS-STING-TBK1 pathway in Alzheimer’s disease
Hyde et al. found elevated HSV-1 protein expression in Alzheimer’s disease, with phosphorylated tau strongly colocalizing with HSV-1 proteins. They demonstrated that tau phosphorylation responds to HS...
www.cell.com
February 3, 2025 at 9:59 PM
I'm thoroughly enjoying the meltdown happening in AI right now. It's just delicious to see those who claim to know the future of humanity & demand absolute power to "take us there" unable to predict the future of their own technology & the implications of that on their own companies 😋
January 27, 2025 at 11:34 PM
"Every life form is made of cells like a prison, which is probably why existence is so depressing, it's a life sentence, just like the sentences I say in this program about life" Cunk On Life is so good 😀😀
January 7, 2025 at 1:19 AM
A beautiful frosty morning in Stockholm showing 2ry nucleation (crystalline fibrils growing on the lateral surface of other fibrils) & demonstrating that any theory based on exclusive growth by elongation (the only way to preserve conformational information in the prion hypothesis) must be wrong.
January 4, 2025 at 11:32 AM
What a huge contrast between their bravery & the lack of courage in the field to admit that the reason there are no therapies might be that our favorite theories are not good enough. Many would rather peddle false hope than confront the possibility of being wrong.
www.nytimes.com/2024/12/22/h...
A Woman With a Rare Gene Mutation Fights to Avoid Her Mother’s Fate
A mutant gene is coming to steal Linde Jacobs’s mind. Can she find a way to stop it?
www.nytimes.com
December 23, 2024 at 2:19 PM
A beautiful arrangement of a classical Egyptian song
youtube.com/watch?v=CzrX...
youtube.com
December 12, 2024 at 5:55 PM
New study linking Aβ loss of function to neuroinflammation.
The original sin in the field was the irrational denial of Aβ's legitimate status as a neuropeptide, and instead focusing on fantastical entities such as oligomers and prions.
elifesciences.org/articles/100...
A novel monomeric amyloid β-activated signaling pathway regulates brain development via inhibition of microglia
Molecular genetics identifies a novel microglial pathway essential for mouse brain development and a previously unknown anti-inflammatory activity of monomeric amyloid β that activates this pathway.
elifesciences.org
December 12, 2024 at 2:56 PM