Current Status of Healthy Aging and Dementia Research: A Symposium Summary.

The purpose of the 'First Regional Healthy Aging and Dementia Research Symposium' was to discuss the latest research in healthy aging and dementia research, public health trends related to neurodegenerative diseases of aging, and community-based programs and research studying health, nutrition, and cognition. This symposium was organized by the Garrison Institute on Aging (GIA) of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC), and was held in Lubbock, Texas, October 24-25, 2018. The Symposium joined experts from educational and research institutions across the United States. The two-day Symposium included all GIA staff and researchers. Students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty members involved in dementia research presented at the Symposium. Healthcare professionals, from geriatricians to social workers working with patients with neurodegenerative diseases, also presented. In addition, experts traveled from across the United States to participate. This event was comprised of multiple sessions, each with several oral presentations, followed by questions and answers, and discussion.

Protective Effects of Indian Spice Curcumin Against Amyloid-ß in Alzheimer's Disease.

The purpose of our article is to assess the current understanding of Indian spice, curcumin, against amyloid-ß (Aß)-induced toxicity in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. Natural products, such as ginger, curcumin, and gingko biloba have been used as diets and dietary supplements to treat human diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular, respiratory, infectious, diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndromes, and neurological disorders. Products derived from plants are known to have protective effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-arthritis, pro-healing, and boosting memory cognitive functions. In the last decade, several groups have designed and synthesized curcumin and its derivatives and extensively tested using cell and mouse models of AD. Recent research on Aß and curcumin has revealed that curcumin prevents Aß aggregation and crosses the blood-brain barrier, reach brain cells, and protect neurons from various toxic insults of aging and Aß in humans. Recent research has also reported that curcumin ameliorates cognitive decline and improves synaptic functions in mouse models of AD. Further, recent groups have initiated studies on elderly individuals and patients with AD and the outcome of these studies is currently being assessed. This article highlights the beneficial effects of curcumin on AD. This article also critically assesses the current limitations of curcumin's bioavailability and urgent need for new formulations to increase its brain levels to treat patients with AD.

Aqua-soluble DDQ reduces the levels of Drp1 and Aß and inhibits abnormal interactions between Aß and Drp1 and protects Alzheimer's disease neurons from Aß- and Drp1-induced mitochondrial and synaptic toxicities.

The purpose of our study was to develop a therapeutic target that can reduce Aß and Drp1 levels, and also can inhibit abnormal interactions between Aß and Drp1 in AD neurons. To achieve this objective, we designed various compounds and their 3-dimensional molecular structures were introduced into Aß and Drp1 complex and identified their inhibitory properties against Aß-Drp1 interaction. Among all, DDQ was selected for further investigation because of 1) its best docking score and 2) its binding capability at interacting sites of Drp1 and Aß complex. We synthesized DDQ using retro-synthesis and analyzed its structure spectrally. Using biochemical, molecular biology, immunostaining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods, we studied DDQ's beneficial effects in AD neurons. We measured the levels of Aß and Drp1, Aß and Drp1 interaction, mRNA and protein levels of mitochondrial dynamics, biogenesis and synaptic genes, mitochondrial function and cell viability and mitochondrial number in DDQ-treated and untreated AD neurons. Our qRT-PCR and immunoblotting analysis revealed that reduced levels of mitochondrial fission and increased fusion, biogenesis and synaptic genes in DDQ-treated AD neurons. Our immunoblotting and immunostaining analyses revealed that Aß and Drp1 levels were reduced in DDQ-treated AD neurons. Interaction between Aß and Drp1 is reduced in DDQ-treated AD neurons. Aß42 levels were significantly reduced in DDQ-treated mutant APPSwe/Ind cells. Mitochondrial number is significantly reduced and mitochondrial length is significantly increased. Mitochondrial function and cell viability were maintained in AD neurons treated with DDQ. These observations indicate that DDQ reduces excessive mitochondrial fragmentation, enhances fusion, biogenesis and synaptic activity and reduces Aß42 levels and protects AD neurons against Aß-induced mitochondrial and synaptic toxicities.

A critical evaluation of neuroprotective and neurodegenerative MicroRNAs in Alzheimer's disease.

Currently, 5.4 million Americans suffer from AD, and these numbers are expected to increase up to 16 million by 2050. Despite tremendous research efforts, we still do not have drugs or agents that can delay, or prevent AD and its progression, and we still do not have early detectable biomarkers for AD. Multiple cellular changes have been implicated in AD, including synaptic damage, mitochondrial damage, production and accumulation of Aß and phosphorylated tau, inflammatory response, deficits in neurotransmitters, deregulation of the cell cycle, and hormonal imbalance. Research into AD has revealed that miRNAs are involved in each of these cellular changes and interfere with gene regulation and translation. Recent discoveries in molecular biology have also revealed that microRNAs play a major role in post-translational regulation of gene expression. The purpose of this article is to review research that has assessed neuroprotective and neurodegenerative characteristics of microRNAs in brain samples from AD transgenic mouse models and patients with AD.

Amyloid beta modulators and neuroprotection in Alzheimer's disease: a critical appraisal.

Multiple cellular changes have been identified as being involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis, including mitochondrial damage, synaptic loss, amyloid beta (Aß) production and/or accumulation, inflammatory responses, and phosphorylated tau formation and/or accumulation. Studies have established that Aß-induced synaptic dysfunction is dependent on abnormal amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing caused by ß- and γ-secretases, resulting in the generation of Aß. The Aß formed as a result of abnormal APP processing induces phosphorylated tau and activates glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (GSK3ß) and cyclin-dependent kinase-5 (CDK5). Here, we review the latest research on the development of Aß modulators for neuroprotection in AD. We also review the use of molecular inhibitors as therapeutic targets in AD.

Protective effects of a natural product, curcumin, against amyloid ß induced mitochondrial and synaptic toxicities in Alzheimer's disease.

The purpose of our study was to investigate the protective effects of a natural product-'curcumin'- in Alzheimer's disease (AD)-like neurons. Although much research has been done in AD, very little has been reported on the effects of curcumin on mitochondrial biogenesis, dynamics, function and synaptic activities. Therefore, the present study investigated the protective effects against amyloid ß (Aß) induced mitochondrial and synaptic toxicities. Using human neuroblastoma (SHSY5Y) cells, curcumin and Aß, we studied the protective effects of curcumin against Aß. Further, we also studied preventive (curcumin+Aß) and intervention (Aß+curcumin) effects of curcumin against Aß in SHSY5Y cells. Using real time RT-PCR, immunoblotting and immunofluorescence analysis, we measured mRNA and protein levels of mitochondrial dynamics, mitochondrial biogenesis and synaptic genes. We also assessed mitochondrial function by measuring hydrogen peroxide, lipid peroxidation, cytochrome oxidase activity and mitochondrial ATP. Cell viability was studied using the MTT assay. Aß was found to impair mitochondrial dynamics, reduce mitochondrial biogenesis and decrease synaptic activity and mitochondrial function. In contrast, curcumin enhanced mitochondrial fusion activity and reduced fission machinery, and increased biogenesis and synaptic proteins. Mitochondrial function and cell viability were elevated in curcumin treated cells. Interestingly, curcumin pre- and post-treated cells incubated with Aß showed reduced mitochondrial dysfunction, and maintained cell viability and mitochondrial dynamics, mitochondrial biogenesis and synaptic activity. Further, the protective effects of curcumin were stronger in pretreated SHSY5Y cells than in post-treated cells, indicating that curcumin works better in prevention than treatment in AD-like neurons. Our findings suggest that curcumin is a promising drug molecule to treat AD patients.

Garrison Institute on Aging: A New Hope for Elderly Individuals and Patients with Alzheimer's Disease.

The Garrison Institute on Aging (GIA) is an established institute within Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, whose mission is to promote healthy aging through cutting-edge research on Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other diseases of aging through innovative educational opportunities for students, clinicians, researchers, health care professionals, and the public. The GIA has multiple programs, including both research and education on healthy aging and AD, community outreach, caregiving, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Healthy Lubbock, the GIA Brain Bank, healthy aging seminars, research seminars, and collaborations and scholarships. The GIA programs connect basic and clinical researchers and health care professionals, and provide a unique environment to help our growing elderly population and patients with AD and their families.

Design, synthesis, in silico and in vitro studies of novel 4-methylthiazole-5-carboxylic acid derivatives as potent anti-cancer agents.

Since inhibitors of mucin onco proteins are potential targets for breast cancer therapy, a series of novel 4-methylthiazole-5-carboxylic acid (1) derivatives 3a-k were synthesized by the reaction of 1 with SOCl2 followed by different bases/alcohols in the presence of triethylamine. Once synthesized and characterized, their binding modes with MUC1 were studied by molecular docking analysis using Aruglab 4.0.1 and QSAR properties were determined using HyperChem. All synthesized compounds were screened for in vitro anti-breast cancer activity against MDA-MB-231 breast adenocarcinoma cell lines by Trypan-blue cell viability assay and MTT methods. Compounds 1, 3b, 3d, 3e, 3i and 3f showed good anti-breast cancer activity. Since 1 and 3d exhibited high potent activity against MDA-MB-231 cell lines, they show could be effective mucin onco protein inhibitors.

Synthesis of novel phosphorylated guanidine derivatives from cyanamide and their anti-inflammatory activity.

A series of novel guanidine derivatives were synthesized in three steps and their anti-inflammatory activities in vitro and in vivo evaluated. 2-Aminopyridin-3-ol (1) was reacted with thiophosphoryl chloride (2) to give a monochloride (3). It was further reacted with cyanamide to afford the corresponding cyanamine (4), which was subsequently reacted with different heterocyclic amines to form the title compounds (5a-l). The substituent in the guanidine function affected the potency of anti-inflammatory activity. The compounds having benzothiazole, fluorophenyl, and piperazinyl moieties enhanced the anti-inflammatory activity.