Amyloid-Precursor-Protein-Lowering Small Molecules for Disease Modifying Therapy of Alzheimer's Disease |
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Authors: | Sina Cathérine Rosenkranz Markus Geissen Kristina H?rter Beata Szalay Isidro Ferrer Jana Vogel Stephen Smith Markus Glatzel |
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Institution: | 1. Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.; 2. Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.; 3. Department of Vascular medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.; 4. Institute of Neuropathology, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.; 5. European Screening Port GmbH, Hamburg, Germany.; National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Japan, |
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Abstract: | Alzheimer''s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia in the elderly with progressive cognitive decline and memory loss. According to the amyloid-hypothesis, AD is caused by generation and subsequent cerebral deposition of β-amyloid (Aβ). Aβ is generated through sequential cleavage of the transmembrane Amyloid-Precursor-Protein (APP) by two endoproteinases termed beta- and gamma-secretase. Increased APP-expression caused by APP gene dosage effects is a risk factor for the development of AD. Here we carried out a large scale screen for novel compounds aimed at decreasing APP-expression. For this we developed a screening system employing a cell culture model of AD. A total of 10,000 substances selected for their ability of drug-likeness and chemical diversity were tested for their potential to decrease APP-expression resulting in reduced Aβ-levels. Positive compounds were further evaluated for their effect at lower concentrations, absence of cytotoxicity and specificity. The six most promising compounds were characterized and structure function relationships were established. The novel compounds presented here provide valuable information for the development of causal therapies for AD. |
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