Amyloid precursor protein protects neurons during nuclear waste disposal

Researchers at Niigata University's Brain Research Institute have uncovered a new function of amyloid precursor protein (APP), a molecule long studied as the precursor to amyloid-β (Aβ) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The study demonstrates that APP actively protects neurons by expelling damaged nuclear material through a process called lysosomal exocytosis—offering a fundamentally new way of thinking about AD. The findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.