Novel strategies for Alzheimer's disease treatment

Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2007 Dec;7(12):1853-67. doi: 10.1517/14712598.7.12.1853.

Abstract

Considerable progress has been made in recent years towards better understanding the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a dementing neurodegenerative disorder that affects > 10 million individuals in the US and Europe combined. Recent studies suggest that alterations in the processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP), resulting in the accumulation of amyloid-beta protein (Abeta) and the formation of oligomers leads to synaptic damage and neurodegeneration. Therefore, strategies for treatment development have been focused on reducing Abeta accumulation using, among other approaches, antiaggregation molecules, regulators of the APP proteolysis and processing, reducing APP production (e.g., small-interfering RNA), and increasing Abeta clearance with antibodies, apolipoprotein E and Abeta-degrading enzymes (e.g., neprilysin). The main focus of this review is on novel treatments for AD with a special emphasis on delivering neuroprotective and antiamyloidogenic molecules by gene therapy and by promoting neurogenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / etiology
  • Alzheimer Disease / physiopathology
  • Alzheimer Disease / therapy*
  • Animals
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Genetic Therapy* / methods
  • Genetic Therapy* / trends
  • Humans
  • Neprilysin / administration & dosage
  • Neprilysin / physiology
  • Neprilysin / therapeutic use
  • RNA, Small Interfering / physiology
  • RNA, Small Interfering / therapeutic use

Substances

  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Neprilysin