DESIGN AND SYNTHESIS OF SHORT PEPTD3ES FOR THE TREATMENT OF ALZHEIMER'S AND PARKINSON'S DISEASES

摘要

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are progressive neurodegenerative disorders which are marked by neuronal accumulation of toxic misfolded proteins which form amyloid plaques. The main components of the plaques are β-amyloid peptides (Aβ[1-40] and Aβ[1-42]) and α-synuclein. The key process in the pathology of AD and PD is the formation of fibrils and aggregates of Aβ peptides and α-synuclein. We have previously shown that small peptides structurally related to the sequence of Aβ[1-42] protect against the neurotoxicity of Aβ peptides. Recent studies by other groups have shown that β-synuclein can counteract the aggregation of α-synuclein in the neurodegenerative process of PD, hereby might protect the central nervous system from the neurotoxic effects of alpha-synuclein.