Summary
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, have explored a different approach to mainstream research into the prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease. It is believed that Alzheimer’s Disease develops when amyloid precursor protein (APP) gets cut-up by enzymes and forms beta-amyloid (ß-amyloid). This ß-amyloid build-up results in, or is associated with, Alzheimer’s Disease.
The San Diego research team developed ten proteins with the ability to bind to APP. Four of these proteins stopped the APP being cut up; and one in particular, called P8, had the strongest effect. Infusing P8 into the brains of mice genetically engineered to develop a form of Alzheimer’s resulted in a significantly reduced level of ß-amyloid production. Tests along the same lines, using human brain cells in laboratory culture dishes, yielded similar results.
This promising line of new research is, of course, at an early stage
Reference
Sheldrick, G. (2015). Alzheimer’s wonder drug can stop disease in its tracks, say scientists. [Online]: Express Newspaper, April 30th 2015.
This relates to:
Reference
Dewji, NN. Singer, SJ. [and] Masliah, E. [et al] (2015). Peptides of presenilin-1 bind the amyloid precursor protein ectodomain and offer a novel and specific therapeutic approach to reduce ß-amyloid in Alzheimer’s disease. PloS One. April 29th 2015, Vol.10(4), Candidate Drug Mining, pp.e0122451. (Click here to view the PubMed abstract).
