Β-Amyloid-acetylcholine molecular interaction: new role of cholinergic mediators in anti-Alzheimer therapy?. (July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Grimaldi, Manuela; Marino, Sara Di; Florenzano, Fulvio; Ciotta, Maria Teresa; Nori, Stefania Lucia; Rodriquez, Manuela; Sorrentino, Giuseppe; D'Ursi, Anna Maria; Scrima, Mario
• Is Part Of: Future medicinal chemistry. Volume 8:Number 11(2016)
• Page Start: 1179
• Page End: 1189
• Publication Date: 2016-07
• Subjects: acetylcholine -- Aβ(25–35) -- Alzheimer's disease -- amyloid peptide -- anti-Alzheimer agent -- cholinergic trasmission; Pharmaceutical chemistry -- Periodicals; 615.19005
• DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2016-0006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1756-8919

Abstract

Background: For long time Alzheimer's disease has been attributed to a cholinergic deficit. More recently, it has been considered dependent on the accumulation of the amyloid beta peptide (Aβ), which promotes neuronal loss and impairs neuronal function.Results/methodology: In the present study, using biophysical and biochemical experiments we tested the hypothesis that in addition to its role as a neurotransmitter, acetylcholine may exert its action as an anti-Alzheimer agent through a direct interaction with Aβ.Conclusion: Our data provide evidence that acetylcholine favors the soluble peptide conformation and exerts a neuroprotective effect against the neuroinflammatory and toxic effects of Aβ. The present paper paves the way toward the development of new polyfunctional anti-Alzheimer therapeutics capable of intervening on both the cholinergic transmission and the Aβ aggregation. Graphical Abstract: