Alzheimer's: From a Molecule Similar to Taurine, the Hope of a New Drug
Alzheimer’s Disease: Possibly a New Drug from a Molecule Similar to Taurine
A hypothesis to develop a treatment capable of fighting Alzheimer’s comes from a small molecule similar to Taurine, the amino acid found in some energy drinks. The substance, called EPPS, can destroy amyloid plaques in laboratory mice, the typical protein accumulations that form in the brain during the early stages of the disease, destroying neurons.
This discovery was made by Korean researchers from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology in Seoul, and published in the scientific journal Nature, one of the most important worldwide.
Alzheimer’s: Causes and Symptoms
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of senile dementia: it affects about 5% of people over 60 years of age and, in Italy, about 500,000 patients are estimated. Alzheimer’s is caused by an alteration of brain functions that results in a series of difficulties for the patient in carrying out normal daily activities. The disease affects brain areas involved in processing thought, memory, language, and other mental functions, causing progressive amnesia, confusion states, personality changes, loss of control of bodily functions, mood changes, and spatial-temporal disorientation.
Biologically, the typical signs of the disease are observable in the brain only after the patient’s death and consist of the presence of “amyloid plaques,” masses mainly made up of a protein called beta-amyloid, and neurofibrillary tangles (fibrillar masses), as well as the loss of connections between neurons. Along with genetic predisposition, other factors such as diet and lifestyle may play a role in the disease’s onset.
Increasing studies, as with other diseases, show how following a proper diet by combating diabetes, obesity, and inflammation can reduce Alzheimer’s risk. In this regard, omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, a fundamental component of neuronal membranes, seem to have a protective function against Alzheimer’s (read here). Unfortunately, no drugs can stop or reverse the disease and all available treatments aim to reduce symptoms.
EPPS Destroys Amyloid Plaques
During their research, Korean scientists treated laboratory mice that had genetic mutations needed to “mimic” Alzheimer’s disease and its symptoms with EPPS (4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinepropanesulfonic acid), a substance very similar to Taurine found in energy drinks. After just three months of treatment, the animals showed improvements in learning and reduction of amyloid plaques in the brain.
According to the scientists, the observed recovery of cognitive abilities was facilitated by the fact that these mice rarely develop brain atrophy, while unfortunately, when a patient is diagnosed with the disease, nervous tissue presents both amyloid plaques and atrophy. In any case, the results suggested developing EPPS-based therapies capable of slowing brain degeneration, especially in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Future drugs will unlikely recover lost nervous tissue but will be able to block disease progression and reduce mortality.
More about the Study
During the experiments leading to the discovery, Korean researchers added EPPS, a substance used in labs to regulate solution acidity during experiments, to the drinking water given to the experimental mice. The animals, thanks to the insertion of two genes, showed some Alzheimer’s symptoms, including memory deficits and reduced ability to perform activities such as swimming or navigating small mazes. Scientists administered different daily doses of EPPS to the mice, up to 30 milligrams per kilogram of animal weight, for three months.
After treatment, repeating learning and memory tests, the animals demonstrated strong performance improvement, comparable to that of normal mice. Brain tissue analysis also showed a significant reduction of amyloid plaques in EPPS-treated mice. In particular, mice that received the 30 mg dose lost almost all plaques present in the hippocampus, the brain region involved in memory processing. In contrast, untreated mice showed, over the same period, a doubling of plaques in the hippocampus.
EPPS’s action appears due to its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, the structure surrounding and protecting the brain, thanks to its small size, and then “break” amyloid plaques without causing any side effects, in doses between 30 and 100 milligrams per day. At higher doses (up to 2,000 milligrams per kilogram of animal), the molecule showed toxic effects; it is clear that many tests will need to be done to determine safe doses for human administration.
Advantages of EPPS
According to Dr. Kim, one of the study authors, the results finally open the way to future therapies aimed at directly destroying amyl
