AUTHOR=Wang Wenjin , Feng Zhanhui , Shu Lingfeng , Hu Yongmei , Chen Yuting , Zhang Baihui , Huang Hua 

TITLE=Bridging prion biology and Alzheimer’s disease: from pathogenic seeds to precision therapeutics

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience

VOLUME=Volume 18 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/molecular-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnmol.2025.1660151

DOI=10.3389/fnmol.2025.1660151

ISSN=1662-5099

ABSTRACT=Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the pathological aggregation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) and tau proteins, which display self-templating propagation reminiscent of the prion protein (PrPSc). Despite these similarities, distinct structural heterogeneities and host interaction mechanisms offer unique avenues for disease-modifying therapies. This review comprehensively synthesizes recent advancements addressing: (1) the conformational commonalities and strain-specificities shared between Aβ/tau and PrPSc; (2) the spatiotemporal dissemination patterns of pathogenic seeds within neural networks; and (3) the development of biomarkers and therapeutic strategies rooted in prion theory. By integrating insights from prion biology with AD pathogenesis, we propose a comprehensive “conformation-propagation-microenvironment” framework for precision intervention, thereby offering a novel paradigm to surmount current therapeutic limitations.