Published in

Society for Neuroscience, Journal of Neuroscience, 29(32), p. 9773-9784, 2012

DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0354-12.2012

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Reducing Amyloid-Related Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis by a Small Molecule Targeting Filamin A

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Orange circle
Published version: archiving restricted
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

PTI-125 is a novel compound demonstrating a promising new approach to treating Alzheimer's disease (AD), characterized by neurodegeneration and amyloid plaque and neurofibrillary pathologies. We show that the toxic signaling of amyloid-β(42) (Aβ(42)) by the α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR), which results in tau phosphorylation and formation of neurofibrillary tangles, requires the recruitment of the scaffolding protein filamin A (FLNA). By binding FLNA with high affinity, PTI-125 prevents Aβ(42)'s toxic cascade, decreasing phospho-tau and Aβ aggregates and reducing the dysfunction of α7nAChRs, NMDARs, and insulin receptors. PTI-125 prevents Aβ(42) signaling by drastically reducing its affinity for α7nAChRs and can even dissociate existing Aβ(42)-α7nAChR complexes. Additionally, PTI-125 prevents Aβ-induced inflammatory cytokine release by blocking FLNA recruitment to toll-like receptor 4, illustrating an anti-inflammatory effect. PTI-125's broad spectrum of beneficial effects is demonstrated here in an intracerebroventricular Aβ(42) infusion mouse model of AD and in human postmortem AD brain tissue.