Tumor-released cystatin-C may help clear Alzheimer's plaques in mice

A mouse study found that human tumors implanted in Alzheimer’s-model mice released cystatin-C into the bloodstream, which crossed the blood–brain barrier and bound to amyloid-beta plaques. This activated brain microglia via Trem2, boosting plaque clearance and sometimes improving memory. While intriguing as a potential pathway to treat or prevent Alzheimer’s, the findings are in mice and may not translate to humans, where cancer and Alzheimer's have a complex, inverse epidemiological relationship. Future work may explore therapies that mimic cystatin-C’s beneficial effects without cancer.