The potential anti-amyloidogenic candidate, SPA1413, for Alzheimer's disease

Recently, isoflavone derivatives have been shown to have neuroprotective effects against neurological disorders. For instance, genistein attenuated the neuroinflammation and amyloid-β accumulation in Alzheimer's disease animal models, suggesting the potential for use to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease.

Here, 50 compounds, including isoflavone derivatives, were constructed and screened for the inhibitory effects on amyloid-β₄₂ fibrilization and oligomerization using the high-throughput screening formats of thioflavin T assay and multimer detection system, respectively. The potential neuroprotective effect of t3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2H-chromen-7-ol (SPA1413), also known as dehydroequol, idronoxil or phenoxodiol, was evaluated in cells and in 5xFAD (B6SJL) transgenic mouse, a model of Alzheimer's disease.

SPA1413 had a potent inhibitory action on both amyloid-β fibrilization and oligomerization. In the cellular assay, SPA1413 prevented amyloid-β-induced cytotoxicity and reduced neuroinflammation. Remarkably, the oral administration of SPA1413 ameliorated cognitive impairment, decreased amyloid-β plaques and activated microglia in the brain of 5xFAD (B6SJL) transgenic mouse.

Our results strongly support the repurposing of SPA1413, which has already received fast-track status from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for cancer treatment, for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease due to its potent anti-amyloidogenic and anti-neuroinflammatory actions.