New Marine Molecules With Therapy Potential Against Alzheimer's Disease

An interdisciplinary research study of the University of Barcelona published in Biomolecules identified two marine molecules as potential candidate therapies for Alzheimer's disease, reports EurekAlert . Meridianine and lignarenone B can modify the activity of GSK3B, a protein linked to several neurodegenerative diseases. "GSK3B has always been an appreciated molecule in the treatment for Alzheimer's disease," said Albert Giralt with the Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases. "However, clinical trials with all potential inhibitors caused adverse effects, which were a disappointment." The team employed biocomputing and molecular dynamic simulation to analyze the potential of a group of marine molecular families to inhibit GSK3B activity. In vitro experimental validation on the inhibiting ability of these molecules was then conducted using mice neuron cultures, which demonstrated that both marine compounds do not induce neurotoxic effects while also promoting structural neuronal plasticity. "These induce the growth of the neuronal tree, an aspect of great interest in Alzheimer's disease, where atrophy and dysfunction play a more relevant role in the appearance of symptoms than in neuronal death," said Giralt. The next step will involve assessing treatment with these drugs to see if they improve symptomatology in mice models with Alzheimer's, hopefully followed by clinical studies.