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Published on: March 12, 2018
Amyloidophilic compounds for prion diseases
Kenta Teruya1, Keiichi Kawagoe, Tomohiro Kimura
1Department of Prion Research, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan. doh-ura@mail.tains.tohoku.ac.jp
Infectious Disorders Drug Targets
|February 10, 2009
Summary
Sulfated glycans and amyloidophilic compounds show promise for treating prion diseases. Further research is needed to understand and manage prion strain-dependent effectiveness for therapeutic drug development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) outbreaks necessitate urgent development of effective therapies.
- Existing research indicates potential therapeutic agents for prion diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of sulfated glycans and amyloidophilic compounds in prion-infected animals.
- To explore the potential of amyloidophilic compounds as diagnostic imaging probes for prion amyloid.
Main Methods:
- Administration of pentosan polysulfate, fucoidan, and various amyloidophilic compounds (dye, styrylbenzoazole, phenylhydrazine derivatives) to prion-infected animal models.
- Assessment of therapeutic efficacy and in vitro/in vivo anti-prion activity.
- Evaluation of amyloidophilic compounds as imaging agents in nuclear medicine.
Main Results:
- Sulfated glycans and amyloidophilic compounds demonstrated efficacy in prion-infected animals.
- Phenylhydrazine derivative 'compB' prolonged incubation times in infected animals.
- Amyloidophilic compounds showed potential as prion amyloid imaging probes, with one styrylbenzoazole derivative used in human clinical trials.
- Therapeutic efficacy of compB and other amyloidophilic compounds was found to be prion strain-dependent.
Conclusions:
- Amyloidophilic compounds are promising therapeutic candidates and diagnostic imaging agents for prion diseases.
- Understanding and managing prion strain-dependent efficacy is crucial for further development.
- Amyloidophilic compounds may also be relevant for treating other conformational diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease.
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