scholarly journals Angiotensin converting enzyme and Alzheimer's disease

2013 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.V. Kugaevskaya

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an incurable degenerative disease of the central nervous system, leading to dementia. The basis of AD is neurodegenerative process that leads to death of neurons in the cerebral cortex. This neurodegenerative process is associated with the formation of neurofibrillary tangles in the brain and the deposition of senile plaques, the main component of which is a beta-amyloid peptide (Ab). Risk factors for AD are age, as well as hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia in the pathogenesis of which involved angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) – key enzyme of the renin-angiotensin (RAS) and kallikrein-kinin (KKS) systems. Recently it was discovered that ACE, along with other metallopeptidases, participates in the metabolism of Ab, cleaving the bonds at the N-terminal and C-terminal region of the molecule Ab. The role of the ACE in the degradation processes of Ab takes an interest. It is associated with the fact that the using of ACE inhibitors is the main therapeutic approach used in the treatment of various forms of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. However, until now not been resolved, can be used antihypertensive drugs that inhibit RAS for the treatment or prevention of AD. Currently, there are numerous studies on finding the relationship between RAS and AD.

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 977 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bright Chukwunwike Uzuegbunam ◽  
Damiano Librizzi ◽  
Behrooz Hooshyar Yousefi

Ironically, population aging which is considered a public health success has been accompanied by a myriad of new health challenges, which include neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs), the incidence of which increases proportionally to age. Among them, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) are the most common, with the misfolding and the aggregation of proteins being common and causal in the pathogenesis of both diseases. AD is characterized by the presence of hyperphosphorylated τ protein (tau), which is the main component of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), and senile plaques the main component of which is β-amyloid peptide aggregates (Aβ). The neuropathological hallmark of PD is α-synuclein aggregates (α-syn), which are present as insoluble fibrils, the primary structural component of Lewy body (LB) and neurites (LN). An increasing number of non-invasive PET examinations have been used for AD, to monitor the pathological progress (hallmarks) of disease. Notwithstanding, still the need for the development of novel detection tools for other proteinopathies still remains. This review, although not exhaustively, looks at the timeline of the development of existing tracers used in the imaging of Aβ and important moments that led to the development of these tracers.


2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 386-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabricio Ferreira de Oliveira ◽  
Elizabeth Suchi Chen ◽  
Marilia Cardoso Smith ◽  
Paulo Henrique Ferreira Bertolucci

Background: While the angiotensin-converting enzyme degrades amyloid-β, angiotensinconverting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis) may slow cognitive decline by way of cholinergic effects, by increasing brain substance P and boosting the activity of neprilysin, and by modulating glucose homeostasis and augmenting the secretion of adipokines to enhance insulin sensitivity in patients with Alzheimer’s disease dementia (AD). We aimed to investigate whether ACE gene polymorphisms rs1800764 and rs4291 are associated with cognitive and functional change in patients with AD, while also taking APOE haplotypes and anti-hypertensive treatment with ACEis into account for stratification. Methods: Consecutive late-onset AD patients were screened with cognitive tests, while their caregivers were queried for functional and caregiver burden scores. Prospective pharmacogenetic correlations were estimated for one year, considering APOE and ACE genotypes and haplotypes, and treatment with ACEis. Results: For 193 patients, minor allele frequencies were 0.497 for rs1800764 – C (44.6% heterozygotes) and 0.345 for rs4291 – T (38.9% heterozygotes), both in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Almost 94% of all patients used cholinesterase inhibitors, while 155 (80.3%) had arterial hypertension, and 124 used ACEis. No functional impacts were found regarding any genotypes or pharmacological treatment. Either for carriers of ACE haplotypes that included rs1800764 – T and rs4291 – A, or for APOE4- carriers of rs1800764 – T or rs4291 – T, ACEis slowed cognitive decline independently of blood pressure variations. APOE4+ carriers were not responsive to treatment with ACEis. Conclusion: ACEis may slow cognitive decline for patients with AD, more remarkably for APOE4- carriers of specific ACE genotypes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 294 (25) ◽  
pp. 9760-9770 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuyu Liu ◽  
Fujiko Ando ◽  
Yu Fujita ◽  
Junjun Liu ◽  
Tomoji Maeda ◽  
...  

Inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is a strategy used worldwide for managing hypertension. In addition to converting angiotensin I to angiotensin II, ACE also converts neurotoxic β-amyloid protein 42 (Aβ42) to Aβ40. Because of its neurotoxicity, Aβ42 is believed to play a causative role in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD), whereas Aβ40 has neuroprotective effects against Aβ42 aggregation and also against metal-induced oxidative damage. Whether ACE inhibition enhances Aβ42 aggregation or impairs human cognitive ability are very important issues for preventing AD onset and for optimal hypertension management. In an 8-year longitudinal study, we found here that the mean intelligence quotient of male, but not female, hypertensive patients taking ACE inhibitors declined more rapidly than that of others taking no ACE inhibitors. Moreover, the sera of all AD patients exhibited a decrease in Aβ42-to-Aβ40–converting activity compared with sera from age-matched healthy individuals. Using human amyloid precursor protein transgenic mice, we found that a clinical dose of an ACE inhibitor was sufficient to increase brain amyloid deposition. We also generated human amyloid precursor protein/ACE+/− mice and found that a decrease in ACE levels promoted Aβ42 deposition and increased the number of apoptotic neurons. These results suggest that inhibition of ACE activity is a risk factor for impaired human cognition and for triggering AD onset.


Marine Drugs ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 373
Author(s):  
Marisa Silva ◽  
Paula Seijas ◽  
Paz Otero

Neurodegenerative diseases are sociosanitary challenges of today, as a result of increased average life expectancy, with Alzheimer’s disease being one of the most prevalent. This pathology is characterized by brain impairment linked to a neurodegenerative process culminating in cognitive decline and behavioral disorders. Though the etiology of this pathology is still unknown, it is usually associated with the appearance of senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. The most used prophylaxis relies on anticholinesterase drugs and NMDA receptor antagonists, whose main action is to relieve symptoms and not to treat or prevent the disease. Currently, the scientific community is gathering efforts to disclose new natural compounds effective against Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative pathologies. Marine natural products have been shown to be promising candidates, and some have been proven to exert a high neuroprotection effect, constituting a large reservoir of potential drugs and nutraceutical agents. The present article attempts to describe the processes of extraction and isolation of bioactive compounds derived from sponges, algae, marine bacteria, invertebrates, crustaceans, and tunicates as drug candidates against AD, with a focus on the success of pharmacological activity in the process of finding new and effective drug compounds.


2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hadassa M Jochemsen ◽  
Charlotte E Teunissen ◽  
Emma L Ashby ◽  
Wiesje M van der Flier ◽  
Ruth E Jones ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisa Evangelisti

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common form of dementia characterized by the formation of extracellular senile plaques composed of aggregated amyloid peptide (Aβ). The present studies provide evidence that: cell resistance to amyloid toxicity is related to lipid raft cholesterol content. Cholesterol and GM1, affect the susceptibility of Familial Alzheimer’s Disease (FAD) broblasts to Aβ42 oligomers in opposite ways, by modulating amyloid binding to lipid rafts and its subsequent toxic effects. The degree of toxicity of the oligomeric species results from a complex interplay between the structural and physicochemical features of both the oligomers and the cellular membrane. Neuronal differentiation of human mesenchymal stromal cells increases their resistance to Aβ42 aggregate toxicity.


Diseases ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paloma Fernández-Sanz ◽  
Daniel Ruiz-Gabarre ◽  
Vega García-Escudero

As life expectancy is growing, neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, are increasing. This disease is characterised by the accumulation of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles formed by hyperphosphorylated tau protein, senile plaques composed of an extracellular deposit of β-amyloid peptide (Aβ), and neuronal loss. This is accompanied by deficient mitochondrial function, increased oxidative stress, altered inflammatory response, and autophagy process impairment. The present study gathers scientific evidence that demonstrates that specific nutrients exert a direct effect on both Aβ production and Tau processing and their elimination by autophagy activation. Likewise, certain nutrients can modulate the inflammatory response and the oxidative stress related to the disease. However, the extent to which these effects come with beneficial clinical outcomes remains unclear. Even so, several studies have shown the benefits of the Mediterranean diet on Alzheimer’s disease, due to its richness in many of these compounds, to which can be attributed their neuroprotective properties due to the pleiotropic effect they show on the aforementioned processes. These indications highlight the potential role of adequate dietary recommendations for clinical management of both Alzheimer’s diagnosed patients and those in risk of developing it, emphasising once again the importance of diet on health.


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