How coffee protects against neurodegenerative diseases
Caffeine is effective against Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases
American neuroscientists have discovered more than 20 substances that can protect brain cells from death. Among them is caffeine.
Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease is considered today the most common age-related neurodegenerative diseases. The official number of sufferers worldwide is estimated in the tens of millions of people (about 30 million patients with Alzheimer's disease and about 36 million with Parkinson's disease), and this figure is growing every year. At the heart of these pathologies is the death of neurons in the brain.
American neuroscientists in a new study have discovered which chemicals help the brain to resist senile neurodegenerative diseases. The emphasis was placed on the brain enzyme nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyl transferase 2 (NMNAT2). As already established, this enzyme has pronounced neuroprotective (that is, protecting neurons) properties. The main two areas of work of NMNAT2 are: protecting neurons from oxidative stress and maintaining the normal operation of the so-called molecular chaperones. Chaperones are responsible in the body for the correct "assembly" of proteins and protein complexes in cells. It is incorrectly folded proteins, which are also called tau proteins, that lead, among other factors, to the development of neurodegenerative pathologies.
Drawing from the press release of Indiana University IU study finds caffeine
boosts enzyme that could protect against dementia – VM.
To identify substances that could affect the production of the NMNAT2 enzyme in the brain, a team of scientists examined 1,280 compounds, including currently existing drugs. In total, they managed to establish 24 compounds that have the property of increasing the production of NMNAT2 in the brain. One of these discovered substances turned out to be the well-known caffeine. Therefore, coffee and tea lovers, in addition to enjoying these drinks, can also benefit.
To confirm the effect of caffeine, the researchers injected caffeine into specially modified mice whose production of the protective enzyme NMNAT2 was artificially reduced. As a result of taking caffeine, such mice began to produce the same amount of the enzyme as their usual wild relatives.
In addition to "useful" substances for the brain, biologists were able to simultaneously identify 13 "bad" compounds that had the ability to reduce the production of the enzyme NMNAT2. These are, for example, cantharidin, contained in the venom of some beetle species, wortmannin, secreted by two types of fungi, or ziprasidone, a medical drug sold under the trade name "Zeldox". As the scientists noted, many NMNAT2-negative modulators have been used or developed as chemotherapeutic reagents for the treatment of cancer or schizophrenia.
"This work can help advance efforts to develop drugs that increase the level of this enzyme in the brain, creating a chemical blockade against the destructive effects of neurodegenerative disorders," the scientists concluded.
A study by Ali et al. Screening with an NMNAT2-MSD platform identifies small molecules that modulate NMNAT2 levels in cortical neurons is published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru
09.03.2017