08 Jan Hebrew University Study Highlights Interplay of Herpes Virus and Tau in Alzheimer’s Disease
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Or Shemesh
Dr. Or Shemesh PhD
The Harvey M. Krueger Family Center for
Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
School of Pharmacy – Institute for Drug Research
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Our study investigated the connection between herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathologies. We explored how HSV-1 proteins are present in the brains of individuals with AD and examined their interactions with tau, a key protein in AD pathology.
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?
Response: The main finding is that tau, traditionally seen as detrimental, might initially act as a protective response to HSV-1 by reducing neuronal death through an antiviral innate immunity pathway called cGAS-STING . Over time, this (initially beneficial) antiviral response of tau can manifest as the well established tau toxicity in Alzheimer’s disease.
MedicalResearch.com: Are there clinical implications, i.e., studying the effects of antiviral medications?
Response: Yes, our findings suggest that treatments targeting HSV-1 as well as other brain viruses could potentially alter the progression of AD. This opens up the possibility of re-evaluating antiviral therapies in the context of neurodegenerative diseases and how they might mitigate the inflammatory responses seen in AD. That said, it is important to note that
- (1) HSV-1 is part of a broader Alzheimer’s brain microbiome, so antivirals alone will likely not be sufficient to curb AD.
- (2) Additional research is needed to determine the appropriate disease stage for antiviral administration and its efficacy in humans, as our study was focused on basic science rather than translational research.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a results of this study?
Response: Future research should focus on understanding the detailed mechanisms through which Alzheimer’s pathologies interact with HSV-1, additional brain viruses and immune pathways (such as the cGAS-STING pathway). Additionally, clinical trials assessing the effectiveness of novel (and pre-existing) antiviral drugs in reducing AD symptoms or progression could provide valuable insights.
MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add? Any disclosures?
Response: We emphasize that this is a basic science study, not a clinical trial. More research is needed before any clinical recommendations can be made. We have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Citation:
Vanesa R. Hyde, Chaoming Zhou, Juan R. Fernandez, Krishnashis Chatterjee, Pururav Ramakrishna, Amanda Lin, Gregory W. Fisher, Orhan Tunç Çeliker, Jill Caldwell, Omer Bender, Peter Joseph Sauer, Jose Lugo-Martinez, Daniel Z. Bar, Leonardo D’Aiuto, Or A. Shemesh,
Anti-herpetic tau preserves neurons via the cGAS-STING-TBK1 pathway in Alzheimer’s disease,
Cell Reports,2025,115109,ISSN 2211-1247,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2024.115109
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Last Updated on January 8, 2025 by Marie Benz MD FAAD