by Sahil Rawal (’19)

Alzheimer’s disease is a debilitating disease that most often affects people of older age. A common trait within patients with Alzheimer’s disease is the accumulation of beta-amyloid proteins. These proteins eventually form plaques in the brain, which block nerve signaling and cause cell death. Although this is widely known, there have been very few successful treatments created within the last few decades of research.

However, Dr. Hayk Davtyan and a team of researchers from the Institute for Molecular Medicine in California have created a recombinant protein-based vaccine to treat Alzheimer’s disease. This vaccine works by counteracting the beta-amyloid proteins that accumulate within patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The team used their vaccine in mouse models and found that it was both safe and effective in treating Alzheimer’s disease. Their results showed that the vaccine targeted proteins located in brain tissues, and then prevented degradation and the formation of plaques in the brain.. This is a very important first step in treating this deadly disease, and this vaccine could potentially move to human trials if further results support its efficacy.

References:

1. Davtyan, et al., Alzheimer’s disease Advax^CpG-adjuvanted MultiTEP-based dual and single vaccines induce high-titer antibodies against various forms of tau and Ab pathological molecules. Scientific Reports 6 (2016). doi: 10.1038/srep28912.
2. Image Retrieved from: https://www.google.com/search?q=vaccine+alzheimers&espv=2&biw=1440&bih=829&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj_1_fD4YDOAhUDHh4KHT21BMAQ_AUIBygC&dpr=2#imgrc=cFImkbq-XACxfM%3A