Plaque Eaters
Researchers from New York University have shown that 59% fewer plaques were deposited in the brains of old saimiri monkeys (squirrel monkeys) after treatment with oligodeoxynucleotides CpG (CpG ODN) - short single–stranded synthetic DNA molecules – compared to untreated animals. These beta-amyloid plaques are protein fragments that stick together and overlap the connections between neurons. In the brains of animals after treatment, there was also a decrease in the level of toxic tau protein. This protein, during the development of the disease, acquires pathological changes in the chemical structure and begins to destroy neighboring tissues.
The researchers also report that the treatment led to an improvement in cognitive functions. When performing a series of tasks, the old monkeys who received the drug acted like young adult animals and much better than individuals from their age group who remained untreated. These monkeys also learned new problem-solving skills faster than their untreated peers.
According to the researchers, previous treatment attempts aimed at the immune system have failed due to excessive stimulation of the immune system, which has led to excessive activation of inflammation, which can harm brain cells.
The new treatment avoids previous mistakes because it is carried out cyclically, giving the immune system the opportunity to rest between doses of CpG ODN.
Alzheimer's disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and has no effective treatment. The involvement of the immune system has been proven: a subset of immune cells that are part of the innate immune system absorbs and removes waste and toxins from the body tissues along with invading microbes. Studies have shown that these immune cells become sluggish with age and are unable to remove toxins that cause neurodegeneration.
CpG ODNs are part of a class of innate immune regulators that activate weakened immune cells. The pulse therapy method – the administration of drugs in short courses at intervals – helps to avoid excessive inflammation and immune reactions that inevitably occur in places of injury or infection.
The experiment included 15 female squirrel monkeys aged 17 to 19 years. Eight individuals received a single dose of CpG ODN once a month for two years, the rest were injected with saline. The researchers observed the behavior of the two groups, and then compared samples of brain tissue and blood for plaque deposits, tau protein levels and signs of inflammation.
The authors emphasize that with age, almost all squirrel monkeys naturally develop a form of neurodegeneration that mimics Alzheimer's disease in humans, which makes them ideal models for studying this disease. The similarity in aging between the studied animals and humans gives hope that the new therapy will work on humans as well.
The study was conducted only on old monkeys that already showed significant signs of neurodegeneration. Further tests on younger animals will allow evaluating the effectiveness of treatment at earlier stages of the disease.
The group plans to start testing CpG ODN therapy on people with mild cognitive impairment or in the early stages of dementia. They also intend to study the safety and effectiveness of this treatment in other neurodegenerative diseases.
The article by A.G.Patel et al. Innate immunity stimulation via CpG oligodeoxynucleotides ameliorates Alzheimer's disease pathology in aged squirrel monkeys is published in the journal Brain.
Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru Based on Technology Networks: Elderly Monkeys Gained Cognitive Benefits From Experimental Alzheimer's Therapy.