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Melchiorri D, Merlo S, Micallef B, Borg JJ, Dráfi F. Alzheimer's disease and neuroinflammation: will new drugs in clinical trials pave the way to a multi-target therapy? Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1196413. [PMID: 37332353 PMCID: PMC10272781 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1196413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite extensive research, no disease-modifying therapeutic option, able to prevent, cure or halt the progression of Alzheimer's disease [AD], is currently available. AD, a devastating neurodegenerative pathology leading to dementia and death, is characterized by two pathological hallmarks, the extracellular deposits of amyloid beta (Aβ) and the intraneuronal deposits of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) consisting of altered hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Both have been widely studied and pharmacologically targeted for many years, without significant therapeutic results. In 2022, positive data on two monoclonal antibodies targeting Aβ, donanemab and lecanemab, followed by the 2023 FDA accelerated approval of lecanemab and the publication of the final results of the phase III Clarity AD study, have strengthened the hypothesis of a causal role of Aβ in the pathogenesis of AD. However, the magnitude of the clinical effect elicited by the two drugs is limited, suggesting that additional pathological mechanisms may contribute to the disease. Cumulative studies have shown inflammation as one of the main contributors to the pathogenesis of AD, leading to the recognition of a specific role of neuroinflammation synergic with the Aβ and NFTs cascades. The present review provides an overview of the investigational drugs targeting neuroinflammation that are currently in clinical trials. Moreover, their mechanisms of action, their positioning in the pathological cascade of events that occur in the brain throughout AD disease and their potential benefit/limitation in the therapeutic strategy in AD are discussed and highlighted as well. In addition, the latest patent requests for inflammation-targeting therapeutics to be developed in AD will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Melchiorri
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Merlo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | - John-Joseph Borg
- Malta Medicines Authority, San Ġwann, Malta
- School of Pharmacy, Department of Biology, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - František Dráfi
- Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Centre of Experimental Medicine SAS Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
- State Institute for Drug Control, Bratislava, Slovakia
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Silva JM, Nobre MSC, Albino SL, Lócio LL, Nascimento APS, Scotti L, Scotti MT, Oshiro-Junior JA, Lima MCA, Mendonça-Junior FJB, Moura RO. Secondary Metabolites with Antioxidant Activities for the Putative Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): "Experimental Evidences". OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2020; 2020:5642029. [PMID: 33299526 PMCID: PMC7707995 DOI: 10.1155/2020/5642029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal motor neuron disorder that is characterized by progressive loss of the upper and lower motor neurons at the spinal or bulbar level. Oxidative stress (OS) associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and the deterioration of the electron transport chain are factors that contribute to neurodegeneration and perform a potential role in the pathogenesis of ALS. Natural antioxidant molecules have been proposed as an alternative form of treatment for the prevention of age-related neurological diseases, in which ALS is included. Researches support that regulations in cellular reduction/oxidation (redox) processes are being increasingly implicated in this disease, and antioxidant drugs are aimed at a promising pathway to treatment. Among the strategies used for obtaining new drugs, we can highlight the isolation of secondary metabolite compounds from natural sources that, along with semisynthetic derivatives, correspond to approximately 40% of the drugs found on the market. Among these compounds, we emphasize oxygenated and nitrogenous compounds, such as flavonoids, coumarins, and alkaloids, in addition to the fatty acids, that already stand out in the literature for their antioxidant properties, consisting in a part of the diets of millions of people worldwide. Therefore, this review is aimed at presenting and summarizing the main articles published within the last years, which represent the therapeutic potential of antioxidant compounds of natural origin for the treatment of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamire M. Silva
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences-PPGCF, Department of Pharmacy, Federal University of Pernambuco, 50670-901 Recife PB, Brazil
- Drug Development and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, State University of Paraiba, 58429-500 Campina Grande PB, Brazil
| | - Michelangela S. C. Nobre
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences-PPGCF, Department of Pharmacy, Federal University of Pernambuco, 50670-901 Recife PB, Brazil
- Drug Development and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, State University of Paraiba, 58429-500 Campina Grande PB, Brazil
| | - Sonaly L. Albino
- Drug Development and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, State University of Paraiba, 58429-500 Campina Grande PB, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences-PPGCF, Department of Pharmacy, State University of Paraiba, 58429-500 Campina Grande PB, Brazil
| | - Lucas L. Lócio
- Drug Development and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, State University of Paraiba, 58429-500 Campina Grande PB, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences-PPGCF, Department of Pharmacy, State University of Paraiba, 58429-500 Campina Grande PB, Brazil
| | - Agnis P. S. Nascimento
- Drug Development and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, State University of Paraiba, 58429-500 Campina Grande PB, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Chemistry-PPGQ, Department of Chemistry, State University of Paraiba, 58429-500 Campina Grande PB, Brazil
| | - Luciana Scotti
- Laboratory of Cheminformatics, Program of Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa PB, Brazil
| | - Marcus T. Scotti
- Laboratory of Cheminformatics, Program of Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa PB, Brazil
| | - João A. Oshiro-Junior
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences-PPGCF, Department of Pharmacy, State University of Paraiba, 58429-500 Campina Grande PB, Brazil
| | - Maria C. A. Lima
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences-PPGCF, Department of Pharmacy, Federal University of Pernambuco, 50670-901 Recife PB, Brazil
| | - Francisco J. B. Mendonça-Junior
- Laboratory of Synthesis and Drug Delivery, Department of Biological Sciences, State University of Paraiba, 58071-160 João Pessoa PB, Brazil
| | - Ricardo O. Moura
- Drug Development and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, State University of Paraiba, 58429-500 Campina Grande PB, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences-PPGCF, Department of Pharmacy, State University of Paraiba, 58429-500 Campina Grande PB, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Chemistry-PPGQ, Department of Chemistry, State University of Paraiba, 58429-500 Campina Grande PB, Brazil
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Kopach O, Zheng K, Sindeeva OA, Gai M, Sukhorukov GB, Rusakov DA. Polymer microchamber arrays for geometry-controlled drug release: a functional study in human cells of neuronal phenotype. Biomater Sci 2019; 7:2358-2371. [PMID: 30916673 PMCID: PMC6873774 DOI: 10.1039/c8bm01499j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) microchambers can provide a versatile cargo delivery system enabling rapid, site-specific drug release on demand.
Polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) microchambers can provide a versatile cargo delivery system enabling rapid, site-specific drug release on demand. However, experimental evidence for their potential benefits in live human cells is scarce. Equally, practical applications often require substance delivery that is geometrically constrained and highly localized. Here, we establish human-cell biocompatibility and on-demand cargo release properties of the PEM or polylactic acid (PLA)-based microchamber arrays fabricated on a patterned film base. We grow human N2A cells (a neuroblastoma cell line widely used for studies of neurotoxicity) on the surface of the patterned microchamber arrays loaded with either a fluorescent indicator or the ubiquitous excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. The differentiating human N2A cells show no detrimental effects on viability when growing on either PEM@PLA or PLA-based arrays for up to ten days in vitro. Firstly, we use two-photon (2P) excitation with femtosecond laser pulses to open individual microchambers in a controlled way while monitoring release and diffusion of the fluorescent cargo (rhodamine or FITC fluorescent dye). Secondly, we document the increases in intracellular Ca2+ in local N2A cells in response to the laser-triggered glutamate release from individual microchambers. The functional cell response is site-specific and reproducible on demand and could be replicated by applying glutamate to the cells using a pressurised micropipette. Time-resolved fluorescence imaging confirms the physiological range of the glutamate-evoked intracellular Ca2+ dynamics in the differentiating N2A cells. Our data indicate that the nano-engineering design of the fabricated PEM or PLA-based patterned microchamber arrays could provide a biologically safe and efficient tool for targeted, geometrically constrained drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Kopach
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
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Bartolotti N, Disouky A, Kalinski A, Elmann A, Lazarov O. Phytochemicals from Achillea fragrantissima are Modulators of AβPP Metabolism. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 66:1425-1435. [PMID: 30400087 DOI: 10.3233/jad-180068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Plant derivatives offer a novel and natural source of therapeutics. The desert plant Achillea fragrantissima (Forssk) Sch. Bip (Af) is characterized by protective antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. Here, we examined the effect of two Af-derived phytochemicals on learning and memory, amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) metabolism, and tau phosphorylation in the familial Alzheimer's disease-linked APPswe/PS1ΔE9 mouse model. We observed that mice that were injected with the phytochemicals showed a trend of improvement, albeit statistically insignificant, in the Novel Object Recognition task. However, we did not observe improvement in contextual fear conditioning, suggesting that the benefits of treatment may be either indirect or task-specific. In addition, we observed an increase in the full-length form of AβPP in the brains of mice treated with Af-derived phytochemicals. Interestingly, both in vivo and in vitro, there was no change in levels of soluble Aβ, oligomeric Aβ, or the carboxyl terminus fragments of AβPP (APP-CTFs), suggesting that the increase in full length AβPP does not exacerbate AβPP pathology, but may stabilize the full-length form of the molecule. Together, our data suggest that phytochemicals present in Af may have a modest positive impact on the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Bartolotti
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ahmed Disouky
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Arthur Kalinski
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Anat Elmann
- Department of Food Quality and Safety, Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon Lezion, Israel
| | - Orly Lazarov
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent cause of dementia in adults. Current available drugs for AD transiently alleviate some of the symptoms, but do not modify the disease mechanism or cure it. Therefore, new drugs are desperately needed. Key contributors to AD are amyloid beta (Aβ)- and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced cytotoxicities. Plant-derived substances have been shown to affect various potential targets in various diseases including AD. Therefore, phytochemicals which can protect neuronal cells against these insults might help in preventing and treating this disease. In the following research, we have isolated the sesquiterpene lactone achillolide A from the plant Achillea fragrantissima and, for the first time, characterized its effects on Aβ-treated neuroblastoma cells. Aβ is a peptide derived from the sequential cleavage of amyloid precursor protein, and is part of the pathogenesis of AD. Our current study aimed to determine whether achillolide A can interfere with Aβ-induced processes in Neuro2a cells, and protect them from its toxicity. Our results show that achillolide A decreased Aβ-induced death and enhanced the viability of Neuro2a cells. In addition, achillolide A reduced the accumulation of Aβ-induced ROS and inhibited the phosphorylation of stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal kinase and p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase in these cells. We therefore suggest that achillolide A may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of AD.
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