Cholinergic abnormalities in Alzheimer's disease: identification of novel therapeutic targets

该项目的目的是开发治疗阿尔茨海默病的新药。阿尔茨海默病是一种常见的与记忆丧失有关的衰老疾病。这种疾病是由大脑中淀粉样蛋白的积累引起的。然而，淀粉样蛋白如何导致正常脑功能的退化尚不清楚。我们以前的研究表明，淀粉样蛋白的目标是两个组成部分，这是重要的正常脑功能。这些成分是1）乙酰胆碱酯酶和2）烟碱受体，已知它们对记忆很重要。本申请的目的是确定淀粉样蛋白靶向乙酰胆碱酯酶和烟碱受体的机制，并设计这种相互作用的抑制剂，这可能最终为未来的药物开发提供一个平台。

The aim of this project is to develop new drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease is a disease of ageing commonly associated with memory loss. The disease is caused by the build up of amyloid protein in the brain. However, it is not known how amyloid protein causes degeneration of normal brain function. Our previous studies have shown that amyloid protein targets two components which are important for normal brain function. These components are 1) acetylcholinesterase and 2) nicotinic receptors, which are known to be important for memory. The aim of this application is to identify the mechanisms by which amyloid protein targets acetylcholinesterase and nicotinic receptors and to design inhibitors of this interaction which may ultimately provide a platform for future drug development.