Title: Disrupting β-Amyloid Aggregation for Alzheimer Disease Treatment
Volume: 7
Issue: 1
Author(s): L. D. Estrada and C. Soto
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Aggregation inhibitors, β-sheet breakers, amyloid, Alzheimer's disease
Abstract: Alzheimers disease is a devastating degenerative disorder for which there is no cure or effective treatment. Although the etiology of Alzheimers disease is not fully understood, compelling evidence indicates that deposition of aggregates composed by a misfolded form of the amyloid beta peptide (Aβ) is the central event in the disease pathogenesis. Therefore, an attractive therapeutic strategy is to prevent or reverse Aβ misfolding and aggregation. Diverse strategies have been described to identify inhibitors of this process, including screening of libraries of small molecules chemical compounds, rational design of synthetic peptides, assessment of natural Aβ-binding proteins and stimulation of the immune system by vaccination. In this article we describe these different approaches, their principles and their potential strengths and weaknesses. Overall the available data suggest that the development of drugs to interfere with Aβ misfolding and aggregation is a feasible target that hold great promise for the treatment of Alzheimers disease.
