A viable therapeutic approach for lowering brain Aβ levels

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β-Amyloid removal reverses Alzheimer's symptoms in mice Alzheimer's disease (AD) is caused by the accumulation of β-amyloid, a 39- to 42-amino acid peptide, in the brain. Asβ-amyloid levels rise, the peptide forms plaques that interfere with neuronal function, causing memory loss and dementia. An imbalance in the production and destruction of this protein is thought to be at the root of the disease; however, the enzymes that keep β-amyloid levels in check have not been well characterized. Steven Jacobsen et al. focused on plasmin, a β-amyloid-catabolizing protease. Plasmin levels are low in plaque-expressing transgenic mice and in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid of Alzheimer's patients. The authors hypothesized that PAI-1—a known inhibitor of the plasmin cascade—may slow the destruction of the β-amyloid that leads to AD, and they developed a drug called PAZ-417 to inhibit PAI-1. When transgenic Alzheimer's mice were given the drug, β-amyloid levels in the plasma and brain fell, and memory loss and other cognitive deficits were reversed. The authors suggest that destroying β-amyloid via the plasmin cascade could be a useful strategy for treating AD in humans. ...http://www.pnas.org

Fortified cheese as good as supplements for vitamin D

Eating cheese fortified with vitamin D results in the same blood rises in the vitamin as from supplements, reports new research from Canada. ...http://www.nutraingredients.com

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