Potential drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Pharmacol Rep. 2023 Jun;75(3):544-559. doi: 10.1007/s43440-023-00481-5. Epub 2023 Apr 1.

Abstract

It is well known that amyloid precursor protein (APP), the enzyme β-secretase 1 (BACE1), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), nicastrin (NCT), and hyperphosphorylated tau protein (p-tau) are closely related to the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition, recent evidence shows that neuroinflammation also contributes to the pathogenesis of AD. Although the mechanism is not clearly known, such inflammation could alter the activity of the aforementioned molecules. Therefore, the use of anti-inflammatory agents could slow the progression of the disease. Nimesulide, resveratrol, and citalopram are three anti-inflammatory agents that could contribute to a decrease in neuroinflammation and consequently to a decrease in the overexpression of APP, BACE1, COX-2, NCT, and p-Tau, as they possess anti-inflammatory effects that could regulate the expression of APP, BACE1, COX-2, NCT, and p-Tau of potent pro-inflammatory markers indirectly involved in the expression of APP, BACE1, NCT, COX-2, and p-Tau; therefore, their use could be beneficial as preventive treatment as well as in the early stages of AD.

Keywords: APP; Alzheimer’s disease; BACE1; COX-2; Inflammation; NCT; p-Tau.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease* / metabolism
  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases / metabolism
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / metabolism
  • Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / metabolism
  • Cyclooxygenase 2
  • Humans
  • Neuroinflammatory Diseases

Substances

  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Cyclooxygenase 2
  • Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor