Unlocking the concealed targets using system biology mapping for Alzheimer's disease

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Genomics
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Alzheimer's disease (AD) involves neural loss, influenced by genomic and environmental factors.
• Amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide and phosphorylated tau accumulation correlate with AD progression and cognitive decline.
• Understanding AD's biological pathways is crucial for developing effective therapeutics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify concealed therapeutic targets for novel drug development in AD.
• To reposition validated targets and FDA-approved drugs for AD management.
• To utilize a systems biology approach for comprehensive AD target identification.

Main Methods:

• Collated data on biological targets and approved drugs from scientific literature and patents.
• Employed a systems biology approach to analyze Alzheimer's disease pathways.
• Mapped biological pathways against drug information.

Main Results:

• Identified 79 imbalanced proteins and genes in the Alzheimer's cascade.
• Found 21 targets under therapeutic consideration and 17 potential targets for AD.
• Revealed approximately 41 pharmacologically concealed yet structurally validated targets for future AD drug discovery.

Conclusions:

• Pathway-drug mapping offers a comprehensive overview of AD biology.
• Identified both explored and concealed therapeutic targets, along with associated mechanisms.
• Provides insights for drug discovery, repositioning, and repurposing in AD management.