UC San Diego Study Finds the Natural Peptide Catestatin Reduces Amyloid, Tau, and Brain Inflammation in Mouse Models of Neurodegeneration
UC San Diego researchers reported in the journal Molecular Therapy that catestatin, a naturally occurring fragment of the protein chromogranin A, reduced the buildup of amyloid and tau, lowered brain inflammation, and improved cognitive and motor function in mouse models of neurodegenerative disease, the university announced on September 22, 2026. The study was led by Suborno Jati, with senior author Sushil Mahata of UC San Diego and the VA San Diego Healthcare System. The university's announcement did not report numerical results. The authors called the findings preclinical and said catestatin's safety, dosing, and effectiveness must be established before it could be evaluated as a treatment in people.