A nasal spray treatment designed to remove toxic substances accumulated in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients has shown effectiveness in mouse trials.
The results of a mouse study on TTCM2, a nasal spray treatment for Alzheimer’s that removes toxic tau tangles, have been published in Science Translational Medicine. Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder marked by brain cell death and cognitive decline. In addition to cell death and the loss of neural connections, Alzheimer’s patients experience the buildup of toxic substances like amyloid beta plaques and tau tangles in their brains.
Amyloid beta plaques are clusters of the amyloid beta protein that form between dying brain cells, while tau tangles are accumulations of the toxic tau protein inside brain cells.
Recent advancements in Alzheimer’s disease treatments focus on eliminating toxic substances such as amyloid beta plaques and tau tangles. While therapies like Donanemab have been effective against amyloid beta, removing tau has proven more challenging due to its accumulation inside cells, which hampers treatment delivery.
Researchers have tested a new approach using a nasal spray formulation of TTCM2 (toxic tau conformation-specific monoclonal antibody-2) in mouse models. This treatment targets toxic tau tangles in the brain. The nasal spray allowed TTCM2 to enter brain cells and effectively remove tau tangles.
TTCM2, designed with a micelle structure surrounded by lipids, facilitates its penetration into brain cells. Additionally, it interacts with the intracellular receptor TRIM21 to enhance its effectiveness. Mice treated with TTCM2 demonstrated significant cognitive improvements after just one nasal spray application.
These findings suggest that TTCM2 nasal spray treatment can effectively clear toxic tau tangles and enhance cognitive function in mice, offering promising potential for Alzheimer’s disease therapy.
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