Promising Molecular Targets for Pharmacological Therapy of Neurodegenerative Pathologies

Network pharmacology approach to unravel the neuroprotective potential of natural products: a narrative review

Aging is a slow and irreversible biological process leading to decreased cell and tissue functions with higher risks of multiple age-related diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases. It is widely accepted that aging represents the leading risk factor for neurodegeneration. The pathogenesis of these diseases involves complex interactions of genetic mutations, environmental factors, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction, which complicate treatment with traditional mono-targeted therapies. Network pharmacology can help identify potential gene or protein targets related to neurodegenerative diseases. Integrating advanced molecular profiling technologies and computer-aided drug design further enhances the potential of network pharmacology, enabling the identification of biomarkers and therapeutic targets, thus paving the way for precision medicine in neurodegenerative diseases. This review article delves into the application of network pharmacology in understanding and treating neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, and spinal muscular atrophy. Overall, this article emphasizes the importance of addressing aging as a central factor in developing effective disease-modifying therapies, highlighting how network pharmacology can unravel the complex biological networks associated with aging and pave the way for personalized medical strategies.

Advances in targeting cancer epigenetics using CRISPR-dCas9 technology: A comprehensive review and future prospects

Cancer, a complex and multifaceted group of diseases, continues to challenge the boundaries of medical science and healthcare. Its relentless impact on global health, both in terms of prevalence and mortality, underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive understanding of its underlying mechanisms and innovative therapeutic approaches. In recent years, significant progress has been achieved in identifying the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that cause cancer development and treatment resistance. Researchers are currently investigating the possibility of epigenetic editing such as CRISPR-dCas9 (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/deactivated CRISPR-associated protein 9) technologies, for targeting and modifying cancer related epigenetic alterations. A revolutionary form of precision cancer treatment called CRISPR-dCas9 is derived from the bacterial CRISPR-Cas (CRISPR-associated nuclease) system. CRISPR-dCas9 can be combined with epigenetic effectors (EE) to alter malignant epigenetic characteristics associated with cancer. The purpose of this review article is to provide a thorough analysis of recent advancements in utilizing CRISPR-dCas9 technology to target and modify epigenetic changes associated with cancer. This review aims to summarize the latest research developments, evaluate the effectiveness and limitations of CRISPR-dCas9 applications in cancer therapy, identify key challenges such as delivery methods and explore future directions for improving and expanding these technologies. Here, we address the various obstacles that may arise in clinical applications while showcasing the latest advancements and potential future uses of CRISPR-Cas9 in cancer therapy.

Drug repurposing for neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are neuronal problems that include the brain and spinal cord and result in loss of sensory and motor dysfunction. Common NDDs include Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) etc. The occurrence of these diseases increases with age and is one of the challenging problems among elderly people. Though, several scientific research has demonstrated the key pathologies associated with NDDs still the underlying mechanisms and molecular details are not well understood and need to be explored and this poses a lack of effective treatments for NDDs. Several lines of evidence have shown that NDDs have a high prevalence and affect more than a billion individuals globally but still, researchers need to work forward in identifying the best therapeutic target for NDDs. Thus, several researchers are working in the directions to find potential therapeutic targets to alter the disease pathology and treat the diseases. Several steps have been taken to identify the early detection of the disease and drug repurposing for effective treatment of NDDs. Moreover, it is logical that current medications are being evaluated for their efficacy in treating such disorders; therefore, drug repurposing would be an efficient, safe, and cost-effective way in finding out better medication. In the current manuscript we discussed the utilization of drugs that have been repurposed for the treatment of AD, PD, HD, MS, and ALS.

Development of Neuroprotective Agents for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease using Conjugates of Serotonin with Sesquiterpene Lactones

BACKGROUND

Sesquiterpene lactones are secondary plant metabolites with a wide variety of biological activities. The process of lactone conjugation to other pharmacophores can increase the efficacy and specificity of the conjugated agent effect on molecular targets in various diseases, including brain pathologies. Derivatives of biogenic indoles, including neurotransmitter serotonin, are of considerable interest as potential pharmacophores. Most of these compounds have neurotropic activity and, therefore, can be used in the synthesis of new drugs with neuroprotective properties.

AIM

The aim of this experimental synthesis was to generate potential treatment agents for Alzheimer's disease using serotonin conjugated with natural sesquiterpene lactones.

METHODS

Three novel compounds were obtained via the Michael reaction and used for biological testing. The obtained conjugates demonstrated complex neuroprotective activities. Serotonin conjugated to isoalantolactone exhibited strong antioxidant and mitoprotective activities.

RESULTS

The agent was also found to inhibit β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE-1), prevent the aggregation of β-amyloid peptide 1-42, and protect SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells from neurotoxins such as glutamate and H2O2. In a transgenic animal model of Alzheimer's disease (5xFAD line), the conjugated agent restored declined cognitive functions and improved learning and memory.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the obtained results indicate that serotonin conjugates to sesquiterpene lactones are promising agents for the treatment of symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Modeling neurodegenerative disorders in zebrafish

Neurodegeneration is a major cause of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, multiple and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, pontocerebellar hypoplasia, dementia and other related brain disorders. Their complex pathogenesis commonly includes genetic and neurochemical deficits, misfolded protein toxicity, demyelination, apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunctions. Albeit differing in specific underlying mechanisms, neurodegenerative disorders typically display evolutionarily conserved mechanisms across taxa. Here, we review the role of zebrafish models in recapitulating major human and rodent neurodegenerative conditions, demonstrating this species as a highly relevant experimental model for research on neurodegenerative diseases, and discussing how these fish models can further clarify the underlying genetic, neurochemical, neuroanatomical and behavioral pathogenic mechanisms.

Novel Multitarget Hydroxamic Acids with a Natural Origin CAP Group against Alzheimer's Disease: Synthesis, Docking and Biological Evaluation

Hydroxamic acids are one of the most promising and actively studied classes of chemical compounds in medicinal chemistry. In this study, we describe the directed synthesis and effects of HDAC6 inhibitors. Fragments of adamantane and natural terpenes camphane and fenchane, combined with linkers of various nature with an amide group, were used as the CAP groups. Accordingly, 11 original target compounds were developed, synthesized, and exposed to in vitro and in vivo biological evaluations, including in silico methods. In silico studies showed that all synthesized compounds were drug-like and could penetrate through the blood-brain barrier. According to the in vitro testing, hydroxamic acids 15 and 25, which effectively inhibited HDAC6 and exhibited anti-aggregation properties against β-amyloid peptides, were chosen as the most promising substances to study their neuroprotective activities in vivo. All in vivo studies were performed using 5xFAD transgenic mice simulating Alzheimer's disease. In these animals, the Novel Object Recognition and Morris Water Maze Test showed that the formation of hippocampus-dependent long-term episodic and spatial memory was deteriorated. Hydroxamic acid 15 restored normal memory functions to the level observed in control wild-type animals. Notably, this effect was precisely associated with the ability to restore lost cognitive functions, but not with the effect on motor and exploratory activities or on the level of anxiety in animals. Conclusively, hydroxamic acid 15 containing an adamantane fragment linked by an amide bond to a hydrocarbon linker is a possible potential multitarget agent against Alzheimer's disease.