Methods for Alzheimer's Disease treatment and cognitive enhancement

Abstract

The present invention relates to compositions and methods to modulate α-secretase and / or to improve cognitive ability. The invention further relates the improved / enhanced cognitive ability in diseased individuals, particularly Alzheimer's Disease patients, and treatment thereof through increased sAPP production. Macrocyclic lactones (i.e. bryostatin class and neristatin class) are compounds preferred for use with the present composition. The present invention also provides methods for increasing the generation of non-amyloidogenic soluble APP comprising the activation of protein kinase C (PKC) by administering an effective amount of PKC activator(s).

Description

PRIORITY OF INVENTION [0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Applications No. 60 / 362,080 filed Mar. 7, 2002.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] (i) Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to the modulation of α-secretase and cognitive enhancement. The invention further relates to compounds for treatment of conditions associated with amyloid processing such as Alzheimer's Disease and compositions for the treatment of such conditions. [0004] (ii) Background of the Invention [0005] Various disorders and diseases exist which affect cognition. Cognition can be generally described as including at least three different components: attention, learning, and memory. Each of these components and their respective levels affect the overall level of a subject's cognitive ability. For instance, while Alzheimer's Disease patients suffer from a loss of overall cognition and thus deterioration of each of these characteristics, it is the loss of memory that is m...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0022] In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for treating plaque formation, such as that associated with Alzheimer's Disease, and improving / enhancing the cognitive state of the subject comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a macrocyclic lactone to activate PKC. In a preferred embodiment, the PKC activator is of the bryostatin or neristatin class of compounds. In a more preferred embodiment the compound is bryostatin-1.

[0025] In another aspect, the invention comprises a composition of a PKC isoenzyme activator administered in an amount effective to improve cognitive abilities. In a preferred embodiment the PKC isoenzyme activator is selected from macrocyclic lactones (i.e. bryostatin class and neristatin class). In a preferred embodiment the amount of PKC activator administered is in an amount effective to increase the production of sAPP. In a more preferred embodiment the amount of composition administered does not cause myalgia.

[0027] In another embodiment of the invention the PKC activation results in the modulation of amyloid precursor protein metabolism. Further the modulation by the PKC activation results in an increase in the alpha secretase pathway. The alpha secretase pathway results in non-toxic, non-amyloidogenic fragments related to cognitive impairment. As a result the cognitive condition of the subject improves. In another embodiment of the invention the PKC activation reduces the amyloidogenic and toxic fragments Abeta 40 and Ab42.

[0029] In another embodiment of the invention the modulation of PKC is through the use of a non-tumor promoting agent resulting in improved cognitive abilities. In a preferred embodiment the PKC activator is selected from bryostatin-1 through bryostatin-18 and neristatin. In a more preferred embodiment bryostatin-1 is used. In another embodiment bryostatin-1 is used in combination with a non-bryostatin class compound to improve cognitive ability and reduce side effects.

[0032] The present invention therefore provides a method of treating impaired memory or a learning disorder in a subject, the method comprising administering thereto a therapeutically effective amount of one of the present compounds. The present compounds can thus be used in the therapeutic treatment of clinical conditions in which memory defects or impaired learning occur. In this way memory and learning can be improved. The condition of the subject can thereby be improved.

Problems solved by technology

Cognition disorders create a variety of problems for today's society.

Vasodilators and metabolic enhancers (e.g. dihydroergotoxine) are mainly effective in the cognition disorders induced by cerebral vessel ligation-ischemia; however, they are ineffective in clinical use and with other types of cognition disorders.

Of the nootropics for instance, piracetam activates the peripheral endocrine system, which is not appropriate for Alzheimer's disease due to the high concentration of steroids produced in patients while tacrine, a cholinergic agent, has a variety of side effects including vomiting, diarrhea, and hepatotoxicity.

Unfortunately, these approaches and strategies only improve symptomatic and transient cognition in diseased individuals but have not addressed the progression of the disease.

Acetyl cholinesterase is a major brain enzyme and manipulating its levels can result in various changes to other neurological functions and cause side effects.

While these and other methods may improve cognition, at least transiently, they do not modify the disease progression, or address the cause of the disease.

Attempts to illicit an immunological response through treatment against amyloid and plaque formation have been done in animal models, but have not been successfully extended to humans.

Furthermore, cholinesterase inhibitors only produce some symptomatic improvement for a short time and in only a fraction of the Alzheimer's Disease patients with mid to moderate symptoms and are thus only a useful treatment for a small portion of the overall patient population.

As a result, use of the cholinergic pathway for the treatment of cognitive impairment, particularly in Alzheimer's Disease, has proven to be inadequate.

Additionally, the current treatments for cognitive improvement are limited to specific neurodegenerative diseases and have not proven effective in the treatment of other cognitive conditions.

Phorbol esters, however, are not suitable compounds for eventual drug development because of their tumor promotion activity.

This approach is complicated by the fact that the catalytic domain is not the domain primarily responsible for the isotype specificity of PKC.

Alternatively, by inducing down-regulation of PKC after acute activation, PKC activators may cause long term antagonism.

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