Otago study advances work on Alzheimer’s

THE discovery of a neuroprotective brain protein with high potential to delay or reverse the onset of Alzheimer’s disease has put University of Otago researchers on a path to developing a therapy for the disease.

Study coauthor Emeritus Prof Warren Tate, of the university’s biochemistry department, said there were no effective therapies to treat Alzheimer’s at present, but the new research could change that.

‘‘After decades of intense international research that, so far, have disappointingly failed to come up with ways to control dementia, this is a promising indication that a pathway to future success might be finally emerging.’’

The researchers found a particular brain protein changed the gene expression and protein profile of the human neuron in pathways linked to enhancing learning and memory, he said.

‘‘It was surprising that this natural therapeutic protein alone was able to bring about so many changes in the human neuron to mechanisms of memory enhancement, nerve cell proliferation, modification or protection.

‘‘The human brain protein sets off a cascade of important events for regulating the nerve cell in its important neurological functions.’’

The researchers used human neurons in culture as a model system, he said.

With stateoftheart analytical technologies, they examined global molecular changes occurring in the human cells when they were exposed to the promising therapeutic protein.

‘‘Understanding how the protein affects the human neuron is a significant step towards harnessing it for a therapy against the memory loss seen in the dementia of Alzheimer’s disease.’’

Prof Tate said while it was still too early to talk about its value for clinical use, the team of collaborating Alzheimer’s researchers at Otago were now investigating how the promising protein, or small derivatives of it, could be delivered to the brain and used as a therapy.

The discovery comes about two months after Otago researchers found a method for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease, which has also long been out of reach for scientists.

Lead author Diane Guevremont and team leader Associate Prof Joanna Williams discovered molecules in the blood called microRNA, which dynamically change as the symptoms of Alzheimer’s get worse, meaning a simple blood test can pick up those at risk of developing the disease.

They are now working to establish a biomarker of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease and will bolster the development of a simple blood screening tool.

PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH Alzheimer’s therapy . . . University of Otago researchers Emeritus Prof Warren Tate and Dr Katie Peppercorn with a plate of human neurons.