Same causes, same cures

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2006 Dec 22;351(3):578-81. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2006.10.086. Epub 2006 Oct 26.

Abstract

Thanks to the continuing bio-medicinal efforts, similar causes underlying the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and prion diseases (PDs) have been revealed, which include oxidative stress, excessive transition metal ions, and misfolded/aggregated proteins. Therefore, the therapeutic strategy for one disease may be effective for the other. More interestingly, accumulating evidence indicates that not just the strategies but also the prescriptions may be shared by AD and PD treatments. In this review, we first summarize the known dual fighters against AD and PDs (which include antioxidants, metal chelators, and protein aggregation inhibitors), and then indicate that some super-dual-fighters may hit multiple targets implicated in AD and PDs, whose structural features highlight the importance of aromatic moiety and phenolic groups. These findings not only provide important clues to accelerating the screening of anti-AD and anti-PDs drugs but also help to understand the etiology of AD and PDs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / diagnosis
  • Alzheimer Disease / drug therapy*
  • Alzheimer Disease / etiology
  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / therapeutic use*
  • Chelating Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Humans
  • Prion Diseases / complications
  • Prion Diseases / diagnosis
  • Prion Diseases / drug therapy*

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Chelating Agents