Reprogramming the neuronal secretory and metabolic machinery using correctors for Alzheimer therapy

Alzheimer disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by memory loss and personality changes, leading to dementia. The primary cause of the cognitive decline that characterizes AD is the loss of neurons, hypothesized as being due to secretory defects in neurotransmitter release and synaptic plasticity. There is growing evidence that in Alzheimer there is impaired neuronal metabolism due to an increase in free radicals and mitochondrial fission, leading to loss in ATP synthesis required for neurotransmission. Therefore, impaired metabolism in neurons may lead to the observed defects in neurotransmitter release, resulting in the loss of neuronal function and connections in regions of the brain involved in memory and reasoning. In our earlier studies, peptide inhibitor targeting oligomeric ATAD3A, a protein essential for mitochondrial fission and bioenergetics, were found to partially rescue from AD, both in AD neurons and AD mice. In the current study in AD neurons, neuronal porosome reconstitution combined with either a linear or circular peptide inhibitor of ATAD3A oligomers, was able to restore AD neurons to near normal levels of viability and greatly reduce oxidative stress in mitochondria. Additionally, the peptide and a small molecule considered safe by the FDA and used as a food additive, were also able to greatly increase viability in AD neurons and provide reduction to near normal levels of mitochondrial oxidative stress. Collectively, these results demonstrate great promise as secretory and metabolic correctors for AD therapy.