Researchers may be closer to finding a cure for Alzheimer's after discovering a molecule that fights off the degenerative disease.
The molecule develops naturally in humans and could prevent Alzheimer's disease from developing, the University of Cambridge reported.
Alzheimer's occurs when proteins called amyloid fibrils cling onto healthy proteins, killing off brain cells in the process. The researchers found the molecule Brichos prevents these hostile cell clusters from forming.
"A great deal of work in this field has gone into understanding which microscopic processes are important in the development of Alzheimer's disease. Now we are now starting to reap the rewards of this hard work," said Samuel Cohen, a researcher at St John's College at Cambridge University. "Our study shows, for the first time, one of these critical processes being specifically inhibited, and reveals that by doing so we can prevent the toxic effects of protein aggregation that are associated with this terrible condition."
Proteins work by folding into particular shapes; but if the misfold they can start a deadly chain reaction that leads to clusters, called oligomers. This phenomenon can damage nerve cells and potentially lead to Alzheimer's.
The researchers believe the next steps are to look for molecules that have similar effects and work towards using them to develop groundbreaking new therapies.
"In terms of curing Alzheimer's we are still a long way away but it at least found molecules that could help us on that course," Cohen said. "We are confident we are making progress towards a cure and steps like this are really pushing open new avenues that could develop new drugs. There are a lot of people doing great research and there is optimism that one day we can beat it."
The findings were published in a recent edition of the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.
