Stanford Uses CRISPR to Delete GLUT4 Gene, Doubling Neurogenesis in Aging Mice

Oct 4, 2024, 02:19 AM

A new study from Stanford Medicine reveals that elevated glucose levels in aging neural stem cells suppress the production of new neurons in the brain. Researchers identified the GLUT4 gene, responsible for glucose transport, as a key factor in this process. Using CRISPR technology, they deleted the GLUT4 protein in the brains of old mice, reducing glucose uptake and stimulating neurogenesis, which increased twofold. The findings shed new light on how high glucose uptake suppresses neurogenesis and suggest that targeting glucose metabolism may counteract the decline in neural stem cell activity during aging.