Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States.
Brain Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States.
ACS Chem Neurosci. 2024 Apr 3;15(7):1533-1547. doi: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00846. Epub 2024 Mar 20.
Neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in the development of neurodegenerative protein misfolding disorders. This category of progressive diseases includes, but is not limited to, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and prion diseases. Shared pathogenesis involves the accumulation of misfolded proteins, chronic neuroinflammation, and synaptic dysfunction, ultimately leading to irreversible neuronal loss, measurable cognitive deficits, and death. Presently, there are few to no effective treatments to halt the advancement of neurodegenerative diseases. We hypothesized that directly targeting neuroinflammation by downregulating the transcription factor, NF-κB, and the inflammasome protein, NLRP3, would be neuroprotective. To achieve this, we used a cocktail of RNA targeting therapeutics (SB_NI_112) shown to be brain-penetrant, nontoxic, and effective inhibitors of both NF-κB and NLRP3. We utilized a mouse-adapted prion strain as a model for neurodegenerative diseases to assess the aggregation of misfolded proteins, glial inflammation, neuronal loss, cognitive deficits, and lifespan. Prion-diseased mice were treated either intraperitoneally or intranasally with SB_NI_112. Behavioral and cognitive deficits were significantly protected by this combination of NF-κB and NLRP3 downregulators. Treatment reduced glial inflammation, protected against neuronal loss, prevented spongiotic change, rescued cognitive deficits, and significantly lengthened the lifespan of prion-diseased mice. We have identified a nontoxic, systemic pharmacologic that downregulates NF-κB and NLRP3, prevents neuronal death, and slows the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Though mouse models do not always predict human patient success and the study was limited due to sample size and number of dosing methods utilized, these findings serve as a proof of principle for continued translation of the therapeutic SB_NI_112 for prion disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Based on the success in a murine prion model, we will continue testing SB_NI_112 in a variety of neurodegenerative disease models, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
神经炎症在神经退行性蛋白错误折叠疾病的发展中起着关键作用。这类进行性疾病包括但不限于阿尔茨海默病、帕金森病和朊病毒病。共同的发病机制包括错误折叠蛋白的积累、慢性神经炎症和突触功能障碍,最终导致不可逆转的神经元丧失、可测量的认知缺陷和死亡。目前,几乎没有有效的治疗方法可以阻止神经退行性疾病的进展。我们假设通过下调转录因子 NF-κB 和炎性体蛋白 NLRP3 直接靶向神经炎症将具有神经保护作用。为了实现这一目标,我们使用了一种 RNA 靶向治疗鸡尾酒(SB_NI_112),该鸡尾酒已被证明具有脑穿透性、无毒且能有效抑制 NF-κB 和 NLRP3。我们利用一种适应小鼠的朊病毒株作为神经退行性疾病的模型,评估错误折叠蛋白的聚集、神经胶质炎症、神经元丧失、认知缺陷和寿命。用 SB_NI_112 对朊病毒病小鼠进行腹腔内或鼻内治疗。这种 NF-κB 和 NLRP3 下调剂的组合显著保护了行为和认知缺陷。治疗减少了神经胶质炎症,防止了神经元丧失,防止了海绵状变化,挽救了认知缺陷,并显著延长了朊病毒病小鼠的寿命。我们已经确定了一种非毒性、系统性的药物,可以下调 NF-κB 和 NLRP3,防止神经元死亡,并减缓神经退行性疾病的进展。尽管小鼠模型并不总是能预测人类患者的成功,而且由于样本量和使用的给药方法数量的限制,这项研究受到了限制,但这些发现为继续将治疗性 SB_NI_112 用于朊病毒病和其他神经退行性疾病的转化提供了一个原理证明。基于在小鼠朊病毒模型中的成功,我们将继续在各种神经退行性疾病模型中测试 SB_NI_112,包括阿尔茨海默病和帕金森病。