One of the numerous ways scientists hope to combat Alzheimer’s disease is to prevent it from developing in the first place, or at the very least to mitigate its worst symptoms. As scientists continue to explore new means of ridding the brain of toxic proteins suspected to be the primary causes of Alzheimer’s disease, the idea of a vaccine is gaining popularity. A recent study suggests further possibilities in this area, with a protein derived from corn used to trigger an immunological response and improve memory in mice with the condition.
While the idea for an Alzheimer’s vaccine has been around for decades, progress is being made on various fronts, with much of the focus on two proteins known as amyloid and tau. Though there is some speculation, the accumulation of these proteins and the production of harmful plaques in the brain are thought to be critical in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
Jackob Moskovitz of the University of Kansas has developed a new vaccine version to target amyloid proteins based on proteins rich in the chemical compound methionine sulfoxide. The theory is that when the protein is injected into the body, it functions as an antigen, triggering an immune response that produces antibodies that target the components of beta-amyloid plaques. In a 2011 study, Moskovitz demonstrated that immunizing mice with these specific proteins could protect brain cells from amyloid-related damage and prevent plaque growth.
Moskovitz explained:
“As we age, we have more oxidative stress, and then beta-amyloid and other proteins accumulate and become oxidized and aggregated – these proteins are resistant to degradation or removal.
In a previous 2011 published study, I injected mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease with a similar methionine sulfoxide-rich protein and showed about 30 percent reduction of amyloid plaque burden in the hippocampus, the main region where damage from Alzheimer’s disease occurs.”
The new and improved version goes deeper into the roots of amyloid plaques, focusing on previously tolerated proteins that escaped earlier editions’ grasp. The scientists made it by oxidizing a methionine-rich protein from corn to produce the methionine-sulfoxide-rich antigen.
This was subsequently given to four-month-old mice bred to acquire Alzheimer’s disease, which showed significant improvements after ten months compared to a control group. This included a 50% boost in short-term memory, improved long-term memory, and decreased beta-amyloid levels in the blood, plasma, and brain.
The researchers also discovered increased antioxidant capabilities and immune cell activity in specific brain regions, claiming that these findings are “likely translational,” implying that this type of immunization “could give a possibility of delaying or preventing Alzheimer’s disease onset.”
Moskovitz
“This [vaccine] could be administered later in life, around the time people are told to get a colonoscopy for the first time in their 50s or 60s. Then, further booster shots could maintain immunization, a process which people are so familiar with from the COVID vaccines.”
While this is an appealing notion, it’s essential to proceed with caution because additional research will need to validate the findings before moving forward with human trials. The study was published in the journal Antioxidants on April 13, 2022.
