中国神经再生研究(英文版) ›› 2016, Vol. 11 ›› Issue (2): 244-245.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.177729

• 观点:退行性病与再生 • 上一篇    下一篇

阿尔茨海默病与β-淀粉样蛋白作为药物靶标研究的反弹

  

  • 收稿日期:2015-12-18 出版日期:2016-02-15 发布日期:2016-02-15

Finding chemopreventatives to reduce amyloid beta in yeast

Ian G. Macreadie, Costa Arvanitis, Prashant Bharadwaj   

  1. School of Science and Health Innovations Research Institute, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (Macreadie IG, Arvanitis C)
    Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer’s disease Research and Care, School of Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University; CHIRI Biosciences Research Precinct, School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia (Bharadwaj P)
  • Received:2015-12-18 Online:2016-02-15 Published:2016-02-15
  • Contact: Ian G. Macreadie, Ph. D.,ian.macreadie@rmit.edu.au.

摘要:

自从1985年42氨基酸肽即β淀粉样蛋白(或Aβ)在斑块中被发现以来,即被证明与阿尔茨海默病紧密相关。然而,阿尔茨海默病治疗方法的发展却一直进展缓慢,这是因为缺乏可靠的模型以及缺乏对β淀粉样蛋白在阿尔茨海默病扮演何种角色的了解。未能治愈阿尔茨海默病导致许多人怀疑β-淀粉样蛋白应该是阿尔茨海默病治疗的主要目标,进而造成了β淀粉样蛋白作为药物靶标研究的反弹。最近抗体试验中显示了一些效果,虽然它没有达到所期望的效果。而目前逐渐引起研究人员兴趣的是天然来源化合物,因为天然来源化合物作为化学预防剂可以去除β淀粉样蛋白。这类化合物获取方便,这意味着如果它们可以被摄取那么将是最好的治疗化合物。流行病学表明现有的食品中存在的许多化合物都具有化学预防阿尔茨海默病的作用。既然我们有关于β淀粉样蛋白分子基础的合理想法,那么将这些想法付诸实践并筛查阿尔茨海默病化学预防剂就十分重要了。我们实验室将酵母作为筛选抗淀粉样蛋白化合物的工具,并证明其具有独特的能力和效果。它可适合于高通量应用,是一种具有较高生物利用率的化合物,并且它不需要β淀粉样制备。总之,在寻求降低β淀粉样蛋白新方法的世界里,酵母检测应该是有价值的前进补充方法。

Abstract:

The 42 amino acid peptide known as amyloid beta (or Aβ) has been implicated as the most likely causative agent of AD since its discovery in plaques in 1985. Since then evidence has accumulated to support the association between AD and amyloid beta. However, progress to find a cure for AD has been very slow, due to lack of reliable models and a lack of understanding about what role amyloid beta plays in AD. The failure to cure AD led many to doubt that amyloid beta should be the prime target for the treatment of AD, resulting in a backlash against research on amyloid beta as a drug target. The recent antibody trial is showing some promise, although it did not meet the desired end points. There is growing interest in naturally derived compounds as chemo preventatives to remove amyloid beta. Such compounds should be taken conveniently, which means it is best if they can be ingested. Epidemiology suggests there are many compounds in existing foods that may be useful for chemo prevention of AD. Since we have reasonable ideas about the molecular basis of amyloid beta it is important that we incorporate these ideas into rationale screening for AD chemo preventatives. The ability of yeast to be used as a tool for screening anti amyloidogenic compounds is a useful and unique contribution. It can be adapted to high throughput use, it informs about compounds that are bioavailable, and it requires no amyloid beta preparation. In a world that seeks new ways to lower amyloid beta, the yeast assays should be valuable additions to moving forward.