Dual Inhibition of Amyloid Aggregation: A Promising Therapeutic Strategy for Alzheimer's Disease in the Context of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Priyadharshine Ramesh Babu1, Clayton Turner1, Rebecca Ryznar, PhD2
1Rocky Vista University, 2Department of Biomedical Sciences, Rocky Vista University
Objective:
To explore the potential of dual inhibitors targeting both amyloid-β 42 (Aβ42) and islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) as a therapeutic approach for treating Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), addressing the limitations of current treatments that do not effectively target IAPP's role in AD progression.
Background:
AD and T2DM are interconnected conditions marked by the aggregation of amyloidogenic proteins: namely, Aβ42 and IAPP, respectively. In T2DM, excess IAPP can cross the blood-brain barrier and interact with Aβ42, promoting amyloid plaque formation and exacerbating neurodegeneration in AD. Addressing the role of IAPP in this interaction could be crucial for developing effective treatment strategies, as it slows the progression of AD in patients with T2DM by targeting both amyloidogenic pathways.
Design/Methods:
Literature was gathered from PubMed and Google Scholar, focusing on studies within the last 10 years for treatments, with no date restrictions for background. Both animal and human studies were included. Studies were analyzed for common mechanisms of action, effectiveness in reducing amyloid aggregation, and potential clinical applications.
Results:
The review identified four main classes of dual inhibitors: structure-based inhibitors that bind to core sequences of IAPP and Aβ42; aromatic interaction-based inhibitors that utilize π-π stacking; catechol-based inhibitors employing catechol moieties for covalent-binding; and chaperone-based inhibitors that stabilize amyloidogenic proteins. Studies indicate these inhibitors effectively reduce the formation of toxic aggregates and significantly improve neuronal viability.
Conclusions:
In our review, we found that dual inhibitors targeting Aβ42 and IAPP offer the potential for therapeutic treatment in patients with comorbid AD and T2DM. We suggest that future research should focus on improving the pharmacokinetics and safety profiles of these inhibitors, as well as optimizing their clinical viability. Addressing these challenges will be essential to translating these promising findings into clinical practice and improving outcomes for patients with these complex, interconnected diseases.
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