Researchers have identified a specific enzyme that clumps up and damages cellular powerhouses in the brains of mice with Alzheimer’s disease. Developing chemical compounds to prevent or eliminate these clumps slowed memory loss and brain cell death in the animals. The findings were published in Cell Reports Medicine. Alzheimer’s disease involves the buildup of misfolded proteins in the brain, most notably beta-amyloid plaques and tau tangles. These proteins interfere with brain cell function and eventually lead to memory loss and cognitive decline. A lesser-known player in cell survival is an enzyme called G-protein-coupled receptor kinase 2, or GRK2. In healthy cells, this enzyme usually operates in the main fluid of the cell, where it helps regulate cellular communication and stress responses. When modified by a specific chemical tag in a process called phosphorylation, GRK2 changes its behavior. It can migrate to mitochondria, the microscopic structures that generate energy for cells. A research team led by Joshua Abd Alla and Ursula Quitterer at ETH Zurich in Switzerland investigated whether abnormal regulation of this enzyme contributes to …