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The emerging link between O-GlcNAc and Alzheimer disease
Zhu Y, Shan X, Yuzwa SA, Vocadlo DJ.. The Journal of biological chemistry, 2014-10-21
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Regional glucose hypometabolism is a defining feature of Alzheimer disease (AD). One emerging link between glucose hypometabolism and progression of AD is the nutrient-responsive post-translational O-GlcNAcylation of nucleocytoplasmic proteins. O-GlcNAc is abundant in neurons and occurs on both tau and amyloid precursor protein.
Key findings
- One emerging link between glucose hypometabolism and progression of AD is the nutrient-responsive post-translational O-GlcNAcylation of nucleocytoplasmic proteins.
- O-GlcNAc is abundant in neurons and occurs on both tau and amyloid precursor protein.
- Increased brain O-GlcNAcylation protects against tau and amyloid-β peptide toxicity.
- Decreased O-GlcNAcylation occurs in AD, suggesting that glucose hypometabolism may impair the protective roles of O-GlcNAc within neurons and enable neurodegeneration.
Why it matters
This review links reduced glucose metabolism in the brain to decreased O-GlcNAcylation, a modification found on tau and amyloid precursor protein, and notes that increased O-GlcNAcylation protects against tau and amyloid-beta toxicity. It suggests a possible protective role for O-GlcNAc but reports no treatment or cure.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 45/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The Journal of biological chemistry) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Journal of Biological Chemistry: journal h-index 780 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2014 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 263 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 18.8 citations a year over 14 year(s) since 2014 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 13.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 56 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author David J. Vocadlo: h-index 67 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Simon Fraser University: institution h-index 657 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 25336656) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 45 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1074/jbc.r114.601351
- PubMed: 25336656
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Biological Chemistry →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Zhu, Y., Shan, X., Yuzwa, S. A., & Vocadlo, D. J. (2014). The emerging link between O-GlcNAc and Alzheimer disease. The Journal of biological chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.r114.601351
Vancouver
Zhu Y, Shan X, Yuzwa SA, Vocadlo DJ. The emerging link between O-GlcNAc and Alzheimer disease. The Journal of biological chemistry. 2014. doi:10.1074/jbc.r114.601351. PMID: 25336656.
BibTeX
@article{zhu2014-25336656,
author = {Zhu, Y. and Shan, X. and Yuzwa, S. A. and Vocadlo, D. J.},
title = {{The emerging link between O-GlcNAc and Alzheimer disease}},
journal = {The Journal of biological chemistry},
year = {2014},
doi = {10.1074/jbc.r114.601351},
pmid = {25336656},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.r114.601351}
}
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