New insights into Alzheimer's disease - 12.04.2011

Researchers from LIFE – the Faculty of Life Sciences and collaborators have shown how copper affects the formation of senile plaques in the brain in Alzheimer's disease. The new knowledge may be useful for the development of future medicines.

Most people associate plaques with the hard surfaces, you can get on your teeth. But plaques are also a term for deposits that occur in the brain, and has been shown to be a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.

A research group at the Department of Basic Sciences and Environment at LIFE is therefore - in collaboration with the Statens Serum Institute, the Faculty of Farmaceutical Sciences, and the Faculty of Science at University of Copenhagen - investigating why the plaque occurs, how it affects brain cells and how adverse effects can be avoided.

 

Plaques are toxic to brain tissue

Plaques consists of an insoluble material containing peptides and metals such as copper and zinc. The formation of plaques is toxic to brain tissue, and the precursors of plaques are regarded as toxic to the brain.

In a recently published scientific paper in the respected journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition the researchers - including PhD student Trudslev Jeppe Pedersen from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Associate Professor Lars Hemmingsen from LIFE show that metals play a significant role in how the peptides fold and aggregate. That is, how they form the precursors of plaque.

 

Perhaps the key to future drug for Alzheimer's disease

The relationship must undergo further testing, but perhaps it is here that the key to a future drug for Alzheimer's disease must be found.

For further information please contact:

Associate Professor Lars Hemmingsen, Department of Basic Sciences and Environment at LIFE - Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel 35332307, mobile 22341782 or email:lhe@life.ku.dk