Great news from the world of research: it turns out that two cancer drugs might be effective in slowing down or even reversing some effects caused by Alzheimer’s disease, according to a fresh study.
The team at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) dove into how Alzheimer’s impacts gene expression in specific brain cells, as laid out in their press release.
They also took a closer look at existing FDA-approved meds that might help reverse these gene expression changes.
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After sifting through millions of electronic medical records for adults aged over 65, the researchers flagged two drugs that seemed to significantly lower the chances of getting Alzheimer’s in those who used them.
The drugs in question are letrozole and irinotecan. While letrozole is typically used for breast cancer treatment, irinotecan is known for its use against colorectal and lung cancer.
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When the UCSF scientists tried a combo of both drugs on mice, they found significant restoration of the gene expression disrupted by Alzheimer’s.
They also observed a decrease in tau protein clusters in the brain, which is a significant indicator of Alzheimer’s, and saw positive changes in learning ability and memory.
Dr. Marina Sirota, a co-author of the study and interim director at UCSF’s Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, expressed excitement over what their tools may offer.
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“Seeing our computational strategy lead us to a possible combined therapy for Alzheimer’s using existing FDA-approved medications is incredibly encouraging,” said Sirota.
The findings were published on July 21 in the journal Cell and were partly funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation.
However, it’s important to note that the study faced some limitations. For example, the database they relied on was derived from cancer cells instead of brain cells.
They also used animal models, which may not fully reflect human biology.
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A peculiar observation was the gender-based difference in medication response: male mice showed more significant advancements from the drugs compared to females.
The scientists suggested that given letrozole’s nature as a hormone regulator, it could be one reason behind this variation, although they emphasized that the analysis isn’t conclusive due to a limited number of male users.
The electronic medical records also come with certain limitations, notably that the information is fairly general and not specifically tailored for such research.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than seven million individuals in the U.S. are living with Alzheimer’s today, and this figure is expected to hit nearly 13 million by 2050.
Currently, UCSF mentions there are only two medications approved by the FDA aimed at modifying Alzheimer’s disease.
These are lecanemab (Leqembi) and donanemab (Kisunla), both monoclonal antibodies given through IV infusions.
They work by targeting the build-up of amyloid plaques in the brain but are effective only for those in the early stages of the disease, with some serious side effects potentially incurred, according to medical experts.
(Other Alzheimer’s medications available merely assist with symptoms without addressing the root of the disease.)
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“Alzheimer’s likely stems from multiple changes across various genes and proteins that together lead to brain health deterioration,” commented co-senior author Dr. Yadong Huang, professor of neurology and pathology at UCSF.
He added that this complexity makes drug development a challenge, as it generally targets single genes or proteins linked to diseases.
Looking forward, the research team plans to kick off clinical trials to observe how these combined drugs affect human participants suffering from Alzheimer’s.
“If distinct data sources, like single-cell expression info and clinical records, point us to the same pathways and medications, that may indicate we are on the right track,” Sirota concluded in the press release.
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“This gives us hope that we might soon have effective solutions for countless individuals battling Alzheimer’s.”
Original article source:Promises of two cancer drugs in reversing the harsh impacts of Alzheimer’s.
