# Baylor Scientists Find Brain Protein Tubulin Can Neutralize Toxic Clumps Driving Alzheimer's and Parkinson's

*2026-06-22 06:04 UTC · Science · 2 min read*

> Baylor College of Medicine scientists show tubulin protein can steer Alzheimer's and Parkinson's proteins away from toxic clumps and back into healthy function, pointing to a new treatment strategy.

Scientists at Baylor College of Medicine have discovered that tubulin — the building block of the cell's internal "railway tracks" — can redirect proteins linked to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases away from toxic aggregation and back into healthy neuronal function. Published in Nature Communications, the study shows that tubulin transforms Tau and alpha-synuclein condensates from pathological states into physiological ones, offering an entirely new angle on treating neurodegenerative disease.

Both conditions involve the buildup of harmful protein clumps: Tau aggregates in Alzheimer's and alpha-synuclein aggregates in Parkinson's progressively destroy neurons. The Baylor team found that when tubulin levels are high, these proteins engage in productive microtubule assembly rather than toxic aggregation. But when tubulin levels are low — a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease — proteins shift toward harmful clumping. "Tubulin redirects the activity of these proteins by giving them something productive to do," said Dr. Lathan Lucas, first author of the study.

The findings suggest that boosting the brain's tubulin pool, rather than directly attacking toxic protein droplets, could serve as a powerful new therapeutic strategy — one that preserves the beneficial roles of Tau and alpha-synuclein rather than eliminating them. Low tubulin levels may also serve as an early biomarker for disease onset, giving clinicians a valuable diagnostic signal before significant neuronal damage occurs.

## Sources

- [sciencedaily.com](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260620100432.htm)
- [neurosciencenews.com](https://neurosciencenews.com/tubulin-tau-alpha-synuclein-prevention-30259/)
- [nature.com](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-69618-3)

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TechTools News · https://techtools.cz/tools/news/article/1873-baylor-scientists-find-brain-protein-tubulin-can-neutralize-toxic-clumps
Česká verze: https://techtools.cz/tools/news/clanek/1946-vedci-z-bayloru-zjistili-ze-mozkovy-protein-tubulin-dokaze-neutralizovat