New research at the University of Leeds found a natural way through which Alzheimer's disease can be interrupted, reports Medical Xpress.
Researchers examined the growth process of Alzheimer's disease in the laboratory and were able to disrupt the process by using pure extracts from green tea and red wine. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) extracted from green tea and resveratrol from red wine helped in breaking through the process of killing the brain cells, according to a Medical Xpress report.
"This is an important step in increasing our understanding of the cause and progression of Alzheimer's disease," said lead researcher professor Nigel Hooper of the University's Faculty of Biological Sciences, according to the report. "It's a misconception that Alzheimer's is a natural part of ageing; it's a disease that we believe can ultimately be cured through finding new opportunities for drug targets like this."
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia that has no cure and can also lead to death. Millions suffer this disease worldwide, and this new discovery can give new opportunities to finally cure the disease.
The disease attacks the functioning nerve cells causing them to die over time. A bunch of amyloid proteins are produced in the brain which turn toxic and form various shapes. These amyloid balls attach to the proteins on the surface of the cell called prions and latch on the surface of nerve cells in the brain which results in the death of these cells.
"We wanted to investigate whether the precise shape of the amyloid balls is essential for them to attach to the prion receptors, like the way a baseball fits snugly into its glove," said co-author Dr. Jo Rushworth. "And if so, we wanted to see if we could prevent the amyloid balls binding to prion by altering their shape, as this would stop the cells from dying."
Researchers made comparable amyloid balls and placed them in a test tube. Human and animal brain cells were added to initiate the process of the disease.
As the process started, extracts from red wine and green tea were added to it and found that "the amyloid balls no longer harmed the nerve cells," Hooper said. "We saw that this was because their shape was distorted, so they could no longer bind to prion and disrupt cell function.
"We also showed, for the first time, that when amyloid balls stick to prion, it triggers the production of even more amyloid, in a deadly vicious cycle," he added.
Further detailed analysis on the function of amyloid prion interactions will lead to better treatment of the Alzheimer's disease, Hooper said.
The findings of the study are published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
