1
|
Maheshwari S, Singh A, Ansari VA, Mahmood T, Wasim R, Akhtar J, Verma A. Navigating the dementia landscape: Biomarkers and emerging therapies. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 94:102193. [PMID: 38215913 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
The field of dementia research has witnessed significant developments in our understanding of neurodegenerative disorders, with a particular focus on Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). Dementia, a collection of symptoms arising from the degeneration of brain cells, presents a significant healthcare challenge, especially as its prevalence escalates with age. This abstract delves into the complexities of these disorders, the role of biomarkers in their diagnosis and monitoring, as well as emerging neurophysiological insights. In the context of AD, anti-amyloid therapy has gained prominence, aiming to reduce the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques in the brain, a hallmark of the disease. Notably, Leqembi recently received full FDA approval, marking a significant breakthrough in AD treatment. Additionally, ongoing phase 3 clinical trials are investigating novel therapies, including Masitinib and NE3107, focusing on cognitive and functional improvements in AD patients. In the realm of FTD, research has unveiled distinct neuropathological features, including the involvement of proteins like TDP-43 and progranulin, providing valuable insights into the diagnosis and management of this heterogeneous condition. Biomarkers, including neurofilaments and various tau fragments, have shown promise in enhancing diagnostic accuracy. Neurophysiological techniques, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), have contributed to our understanding of AD and FTD. TMS has uncovered unique neurophysiological signatures, highlighting impaired plasticity, hyperexcitability, and altered connectivity in AD, while FTD displays differences in neurotransmitter systems, particularly GABAergic and glutamatergic circuits. Lastly, ongoing clinical trials in anti-amyloid therapy for AD, such as Simufilam, Solanezumab, Gantenerumab, and Remternetug, offer hope for individuals affected by this devastating disease, with the potential to alter the course of cognitive decline. These advancements collectively illuminate the evolving landscape of dementia research and the pursuit of effective treatments for these challenging conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shubhrat Maheshwari
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Rama University Mandhana, Bithoor Road, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 209217, India; Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, 21107, U.P., India.
| | - Aditya Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Integral University, Lucknow 226026, India.
| | - Vaseem Ahamad Ansari
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Integral University, Lucknow 226026, India.
| | - Tarique Mahmood
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Integral University, Lucknow 226026, India.
| | - Rufaida Wasim
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Integral University, Lucknow 226026, India.
| | - Juber Akhtar
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Integral University, Lucknow 226026, India.
| | - Amita Verma
- Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, 21107, U.P., India.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kim J, Jeon H, Yun Kim H, Kim Y. Failure, Success, and Future Direction of Alzheimer Drugs Targeting Amyloid-β Cascade: Pros and Cons of Chemical and Biological Modalities. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300328. [PMID: 37497809 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent cause of dementia and has become a health concern worldwide urging for an effective therapeutic. The amyloid hypothesis, currently the most pursued basis of AD drug discovery, points the cause of AD to abnormal production and ineffective removal of pathogenic aggregated amyloid-β (Aβ). AD therapeutic research has been focused on targeting different species of Aβ in the amyloidogenic process to control Aβ content and recover cognitive decline. Among the different processes targeted, the clearance mechanism has been found to be the most effective, supported by the recent clinical approval of an Aβ-targeting immunotherapeutic drug which significantly slowed cognitive decline. Although the current AD drug discovery field is extensively researching immunotherapeutic drugs, there are numerous properties of immunotherapy in need of improvements that could be overcome by an equally performing chemical drug. Here, we review chemical and immunotherapy drug candidates, based on their mechanism of modulating the amyloid cascade, selected from the AlzForum database. Through this review, we aim to summarize and evaluate the prospect of Aβ-targeting chemical drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- JiMin Kim
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| | - Hanna Jeon
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| | - Hye Yun Kim
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| | - YoungSoo Kim
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Chen D, Chen Q, Qin X, Tong P, Peng L, Zhang T, Xia C. Development and evolution of human glutaminyl cyclase inhibitors (QCIs): an alternative promising approach for disease-modifying treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1209863. [PMID: 37600512 PMCID: PMC10435661 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1209863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Human glutaminyl cyclase (hQC) is drawing considerable attention and emerging as a potential druggable target for Alzheimer's disease (AD) due to its close involvement in the pathology of AD via the post-translational pyroglutamate modification of amyloid-β. A recent phase 2a study has shown promising early evidence of efficacy for AD with a competitive benzimidazole-based QC inhibitor, PQ912, which also demonstrated favorable safety profiles. This finding has sparked new hope for the treatment of AD. In this review, we briefly summarize the discovery and evolution of hQC inhibitors, with a particular interest in classic Zinc binding group (ZBG)-containing chemicals reported in recent years. Additionally, we highlight several high-potency inhibitors and discuss new trends and challenges in the development of QC inhibitors as an alternative and promising disease-modifying therapy for AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daoyuan Chen
- School of Bioengineering, Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Qingxiu Chen
- School of Bioengineering, Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Xiaofei Qin
- School of Bioengineering, Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Peipei Tong
- School of Bioengineering, Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Liping Peng
- School of Bioengineering, Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Basic Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chunli Xia
- School of Bioengineering, Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Giuffrida ML. Amyloid β and Alzheimer's Disease: Molecular Updates from Physiology to Pathology. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24097913. [PMID: 37175620 PMCID: PMC10178307 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents one of the most challenging disorders, and despite having been widely studied since its first identification, resolutive treatments are still far out of reach [...].
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Laura Giuffrida
- Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council (CNR-IC), 95126 Catania, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Yao W, Yang H, Yang J. Small-molecule drugs development for Alzheimer's disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:1019412. [PMID: 36389082 PMCID: PMC9664938 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1019412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive neurodegenerative brain disorder with no effective therapeutic drugs currently. The complicated pathophysiology of AD is not well understood, although beta-amyloid (Aβ) cascade and hyperphosphorylated tau protein were regarded as the two main causes of AD. Other mechanisms, such as oxidative stress, deficiency of central cholinergic neurotransmitters, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation, were also proposed and studied as targets in AD. This review aims to summarize the small-molecule drugs that were developed based on the pathogenesis and gives a deeper understanding of the AD. We hope that it could help scientists find new and better treatments to gradually conquer the problems related to AD in future.
Collapse
|
6
|
Morató X, Pytel V, Jofresa S, Ruiz A, Boada M. Symptomatic and Disease-Modifying Therapy Pipeline for Alzheimer’s Disease: Towards a Personalized Polypharmacology Patient-Centered Approach. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169305. [PMID: 36012569 PMCID: PMC9409252 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Since 1906, when Dr. Alois Alzheimer first described in a patient “a peculiar severe disease process of the cerebral cortex”, people suffering from this pathology have been waiting for a breakthrough therapy. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive neurodegenerative brain disorder and the most common form of dementia in the elderly with a long presymptomatic phase. Worldwide, approximately 50 million people are living with dementia, with AD comprising 60–70% of cases. Pathologically, AD is characterized by the deposition of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) in the neuropil (neuritic plaques) and blood vessels (amyloid angiopathy), and by the accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau in neurons (neurofibrillary tangles) in the brain, with associated loss of synapses and neurons, together with glial activation, and neuroinflammation, resulting in cognitive deficits and eventually dementia. The current competitive landscape in AD consists of symptomatic treatments, of which there are currently six approved medications: three AChEIs (donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine), one NMDA-R antagonist (memantine), one combination therapy (memantine/donepezil), and GV-971 (sodium oligomannate, a mixture of oligosaccharides derived from algae) only approved in China. Improvements to the approved therapies, such as easier routes of administration and reduced dosing frequencies, along with the developments of new strategies and combined treatments are expected to occur within the next decade and will positively impact the way the disease is managed. Recently, Aducanumab, the first disease-modifying therapy (DMT) has been approved for AD, and several DMTs are in advanced stages of clinical development or regulatory review. Small molecules, mAbs, or multimodal strategies showing promise in animal studies have not confirmed that promise in the clinic (where small to moderate changes in clinical efficacy have been observed), and therefore, there is a significant unmet need for a better understanding of the AD pathogenesis and the exploration of alternative etiologies and therapeutic effective disease-modifying therapies strategies for AD. Therefore, a critical review of the disease-modifying therapy pipeline for Alzheimer’s disease is needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Morató
- Research Center and Memory Clinic, Fundació ACE, Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence:
| | - Vanesa Pytel
- Research Center and Memory Clinic, Fundació ACE, Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sara Jofresa
- Research Center and Memory Clinic, Fundació ACE, Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Agustín Ruiz
- Research Center and Memory Clinic, Fundació ACE, Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Mercè Boada
- Research Center and Memory Clinic, Fundació ACE, Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Oumata N, Lu K, Teng Y, Cavé C, Peng Y, Galons H, Roques BP. Molecular mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease and related potential treatments such as structural target convergence of antibodies and simple organic molecules. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 240:114578. [PMID: 35841881 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The amyloid cascade is the most frequently accepted hypothesis of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). According to this hypothesis, the formation of plaques precedes the appearance of fibrillary tangles. Therapeutic agents able to inhibit the formation of plaques are therefore considered as potential disease-modifying treatments (DMT) that could prevent or limit the progression of AD. Plaques are deposits formed by aggregates of amyloid-β (Aβ)-peptides. These peptides are metabolites of amyloid precursor protein (APP) first mediated by two enzymes: β-secretase 1 (BACE1) and γ-secretase. Molecular identification of these two enzymes has stimulated the development of their inhibitors. The clinical testing of these two classes of molecules has not been successful to date. The oligomerization of Aβ-peptides into plaques is now targeted by immunological approaches such as antibodies and vaccines. Structural consideration of the Aβ-peptide sequence led to the launch of the antibody Aducanumab. Several other antibodies are in late clinical phases. Progress in the understanding of the effects of N-truncated Aβ-peptides such as pE3-42, formed by the action of recently well characterized enzymes (aminopeptidase A, dipeptidylpeptidase-4 and glutaminyl cyclase) suggests that oligomerization can be limited either by enzyme inhibitors or antibody approaches. This strategy associating two structurally interconnected mechanisms is focused in this review.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nassima Oumata
- Unité de Technologies Chimiques et Biologiques pour la Santé, Université Paris Cité INSERM U1267, CNRS UMR 8258, 4 Avenue de l'Observatoire, Paris, 75006, France
| | - Kui Lu
- Tianjin International Cooperation Research Centre of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Yuou Teng
- Tianjin International Cooperation Research Centre of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Christian Cavé
- UMR CNRS 8076 BioCIS, Faculty of Pharmacy, University Paris-Saclay, France
| | - Yu Peng
- Tianjin International Cooperation Research Centre of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Hervé Galons
- Unité de Technologies Chimiques et Biologiques pour la Santé, Université Paris Cité INSERM U1267, CNRS UMR 8258, 4 Avenue de l'Observatoire, Paris, 75006, France; Tianjin International Cooperation Research Centre of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China.
| | - Bernard P Roques
- Unité de Technologies Chimiques et Biologiques pour la Santé, Université Paris Cité INSERM U1267, CNRS UMR 8258, 4 Avenue de l'Observatoire, Paris, 75006, France.
| |
Collapse
|