A cancer drug may offer
hope for those suffering from Alzheimer’s, according to a new study.Writing in the journal Brain, researchers from the University of California, Irvine, say the drug “disarms” the brain’s
reaction to beta-amyloid plaques, a “hallmark” of the degenerative brain
disease.Researchers say that in
response to the plaques, the brain produces inflammatory cells called
microglia, which “contribute to the neuronal and memory deficits seen in this
neurodegenerative disease.”
"Our findings
demonstrate the critical role that inflammation plays in Alzheimer's-related
memory and cognitive losses," said Kim Green, an assistant professor of
neurobiology and behavior. "While we were successful in removing the
elevated microglia resulting from beta-amyloid, further research is required to
better understand the link among beta-amyloid, inflammation and neurodegeneration
in Alzheimer's."
Green said the drug,
pexidartinib, or PLX3397, is being used to treat cancer, but that it also
selectively blocks microglia signaling from their surface receptors, which “are
necessary for microglial survival and proliferation in response to various
stimuli, including beta-amyloid.”This led to a “dramatic
reduction” of inflammatory cells.The researchers said the
drug “restored memory function in test mice.”Even though the drug
appeared to remove the microglia, the plaques remained.
In a healthy person,
microglia “act as the first and main form of immune defense in the central
nervous system,” researchers noted.However for those with
Alzheimer’s, the microglia “turn against the healthy tissue they were
originally assigned to protect, causing inflammation in the brain.”"Our work is telling
us that these cells may contribute to the disease process, and targeting them
with such specific drugs is a promising new approach," he said.
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