A U of A researcher has potentially unlocked the key to curing Alzheimer’s disease using a drug originally designed to treat diabetes.
“You have to base your work on sound scientific principles and not be afraid of looking into other areas of science and medicine perhaps not related in your own backyard,” said Dr. Jack Jhamandas, researcher with the faculty of medicine and dentistry.
“These are all the pieces of the same puzzle.”
Jhamandas explained how he and a team of researchers used a drug known as AC253, formerly thought to control diabetes, to find a way of blocking a brain protein commonly found in Alzheimer’s patients known to kill brain cells.
“There is a long history that link Alzheimer’s and diabetes — people more prone to diabetes may be more susceptible to Alzheimer’s and now we know why,” said Jhamandas.
A protein commonly found in the pancreas of diabetes patients called amylin has similar properties to the brain protein amyloid found in Alzheimer’s, explained Jhamandas.
Amyloid is found in areas of the brain that affect memory and cognitive abilities, and essentially kills brain cells.
Though the drug AC253 was found unable to help diabetes sufferers, researchers found it was able to block the brain cell-degenerating protein ultimately stopping the termination of brain cells.
“If the target is blocked, it can’t open the door,” said Jhamandas.
The team worked with human brain cells for the research that was recently published in the American Journal of Pathology.
Next, Jhamandas said, they will apply their research to whole animals including mice, where the onset of Alzheimer’s occurs faster than in humans to test further results.
jasmine.franklin@sunmedia.ca
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OBAMA = STALIN = BUSHâ¦.WHO, WHY, AND HOW RUINED YOUâ¦FROM 911 TO AUSTRALIAN FLOODS â ARIZONA SHOOTING â WIKILEAKS = CIA – ESKIMO SARAH PALIN TO BUILD YOU “BRIDGE TO NOWHERE” — BREAST FEEDING PROTESTS INSANITY — CIVIL RIOTS IN ARAB COUNTRIES http://avsecbostjan.blogspot.com or http://avsecbostjan.areavoices.com/
OBAMA = STALIN = BUSHâ¦.WHO, WHY, AND HOW RUINED YOUâ¦FROM 911 TO AUSTRALIAN FLOODS â ARIZONA SHOOTING â WIKILEAKS = CIA – ESKIMO SARAH PALIN TO BUILD YOU “BRIDGE TO NOWHERE” — BREAST FEEDING PROTESTS INSANITY — CIVIL RIOTS IN ARAB COUNTRIES http://avsecbostjan.blogspot.com or http://avsecbostjan.areavoices.com/
Loki Nagrind, February 3rd 2011, 7:30pm
