scholarly journals Heightened sensitivity of people with Alzheimer’s disease to the side effects of antipsychotic drug amisulpride may be mediated through an interaction with glucose transporter 1 at the blood‐brain barrier

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (S3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sevda Boyanova ◽  
Hao Wang ◽  
Alice L Fleckney ◽  
Ariana Gatt ◽  
Doaa B Farag ◽  
...  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (41) ◽  
pp. eabc7031 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yutong Zhou ◽  
Feiyan Zhu ◽  
Yang Liu ◽  
Meng Zheng ◽  
Yibin Wang ◽  
...  

Toxic aggregated amyloid-β accumulation is a key pathogenic event in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which derives from amyloid precursor protein (APP) through sequential cleavage by BACE1 (β-site APP cleavage enzyme 1) and γ-secretase. Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) show great promise for AD therapy by specific silencing of BACE1. However, lack of effective siRNA brain delivery approaches limits this strategy. Here, we developed a glycosylated “triple-interaction” stabilized polymeric siRNA nanomedicine (Gal-NP@siRNA) to target BACE1 in APP/PS1 transgenic AD mouse model. Gal-NP@siRNA exhibits superior blood stability and can efficiently penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) via glycemia-controlled glucose transporter-1 (Glut1)–mediated transport, thereby ensuring that siRNAs decrease BACE1 expression and modify relative pathways. Noticeably, Gal-NP@siBACE1 administration restored the deterioration of cognitive capacity in AD mice without notable side effects. This “Trojan horse” strategy supports the utility of RNA interference therapy in neurodegenerative diseases.


Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (20) ◽  
pp. 4866
Author(s):  
Eniko Manek ◽  
Ferenc Darvas ◽  
Georg A. Petroianu

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than 24 million people worldwide and represents an immense medical, social and economic burden. While a vast array of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) is available for the prevention and possibly treatment of AD, applicability is limited by the selective nature of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) as well as by their severe peripheral side effects. A promising solution to these problems is the incorporation of anti-Alzheimer drugs in polymeric nanoparticles (NPs). However, while several polymeric NPs are nontoxic and biocompatible, many of them are not biodegradable and thus not appropriate for CNS-targeting. Among polymeric nanocarriers, chitosan-based NPs emerge as biodegradable yet stable vehicles for the delivery of CNS medications. Furthermore, due to their mucoadhesive character and intrinsic bioactivity, chitosan NPs can not only promote brain penetration of drugs via the olfactory route, but also act as anti-Alzheimer therapeutics themselves. Here we review how chitosan-based NPs could be used to address current challenges in the treatment of AD; with a specific focus on the enhancement of blood-brain barrier penetration of anti-Alzheimer drugs and on the reduction of their peripheral side effects.


RSC Advances ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (58) ◽  
pp. 35574-35581
Author(s):  
Bryan Wang ◽  
Xuan Luo

Human-serum transferrin is involved in the transportation of aluminum across the blood–brain barrier.


Sci ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
James David Adams

A three-part mechanism is proposed for the induction of Alzheimer’s disease: (1) decreased blood lactic acid; (2) increased blood ceramide and adipokines; (3) decreased blood folic acid. The age-related nature of these mechanisms comes from age-associated decreased muscle mass, increased visceral fat and changes in diet. This mechanism also explains why many people do not develop Alzheimer’s disease. Simple changes in lifestyle and diet can prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is caused by a cascade of events that culminates in damage to the blood–brain barrier and damage to neurons. The blood–brain barrier keeps toxic molecules out of the brain and retains essential molecules in the brain. Lactic acid is a nutrient to the brain and is produced by exercise. Damage to endothelial cells and pericytes by inadequate lactic acid leads to blood–brain barrier damage and brain damage. Inadequate folate intake and oxidative stress induced by activation of transient receptor potential cation channels and endothelial nitric oxide synthase damage the blood–brain barrier. NAD depletion due to inadequate intake of nicotinamide and alterations in the kynurenine pathway damages neurons. Changes in microRNA levels may be the terminal events that cause neuronal death leading to Alzheimer’s disease. A new mechanism of Alzheimer’s disease induction is presented involving lactic acid, ceramide, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor α, folate, nicotinamide, kynurenine metabolites and microRNA.


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dhara Lakdawala ◽  
Md Abdur Rashid ◽  
Farhan Jalees Ahmad

: Drug delivery to the brain has remained a significant challenge in treating neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease due to the presence of the blood-brain barrier, which primarily obstructs the access of drugs and biomolecules into the brain. Several methods to overcome the blood-brain barrier have been employed, such as chemical disruption, surgical intervention, focused ultrasound, intranasal delivery and using nanocarriers. Nanocarrier systems remain the method of choice and have shown promising results over the past decade to achieve better drug targeting. Polymeric nanocarriers and lipidic nanoparticles act as a carrier system providing better encapsulation of drugs, site-specific delivery, increased bioavailability and sustained release of drugs. The surface modifications and functionalization of these nanocarrier systems have greatly facilitated targeted drug delivery. The safety and efficacy of these nanocarrier systems have been ascertained by several in vitro and in vivo models. In the present review, we have elaborated on recent developments of nanoparticles as a drug delivery system for Alzheimer's disease, explicitly focusing on polymeric and lipidic nanoparticles.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 3224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shafq Al-azzawi ◽  
Dhafir Masheta ◽  
Anna Guildford ◽  
Gary Phillips ◽  
Matteo Santin

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive brain disorder and age-related disease characterised by abnormal accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ). The development of drugs to combat AD is hampered by the lack of therapeutically-active molecules able to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). It is agreed that specifically-designed carriers, such as dendrimers, could support the drug penetration across the BBB. The aim of this study was to design biocompatible and biodegradable dendrimeric delivery systems able to carry Flurbiprofen (FP), as drug for AD treatment, across the BBB and liberate it at the target tissue. These dendrons were synthesised using solid-phase peptide synthesis method and characterised by mass spectrometry and fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results revealed successful synthesis of dendrons having FP been integrated during the synthesis at their branching ends. Cytotoxicity assays demonstrated the biocompatibility of the delivery systems, whereas HPLC analysis showed high percentages of permeability across an in vitro BBB model for FP-integrated dendrons. Results also revealed the efficiency of drug conjugates on the γ-secretase enzyme in target cells with evidence of eventual drug release by hydrolysis of the carrier. This study demonstrates that the coupling of FP to dendrimeric delivery systems can successfully be achieved during the synthesis of the poly(epsilon-lysine) macromolecules to improve the transport of the active drug across the BBB.


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