UToledo Bioorganic Chemist Explores Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment

UToledo Bioorganic Chemist Explores Alzheimer's Disease Treatment

Alzheimer's disease remains something of a conundrum to researchers.

While its symptoms and their devastating impact on day-to-day life are well understood, including by the caregivers of the more than 7 million Americans who are afflicted with this most common form of dementia, its cure remains elusive.

As researchers across the country explore numerous approaches that address what they believe to be numerous contributing factors to the disease, The University of Toledo's Dr. Peter Andreana is zeroing in on one approach with the support of the National Institute on Aging. The agency recently awarded him nearly $400,000 to fund research into L-rhamnose (L-Rha), a molecule that's strongly linked to antioxidant activity beneficial in combating Alzheimer's disease.

"L-Rha and L-Rha-containing molecules have a unique but positive effect on Alzheimer's disease, but we don't yet clearly understand why that is," said Andreana, a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in UToledo's College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. "We want to explore that relationship by examining related biochemical processes."

Andreana specializes in the synthesis of carbohydrates including sugars like L-Rha, which is part of the chemical makeup of gellan gum, an ingredient that food processors rely on as a binder and thickener in products ranging from salad dressing to ice cream.

As a part of their new research supported by the National Institute on Aging, he and his collaborators - co-principal investigators Dr. Dong-Shik Kim in the College of Engineering and Dr. Zahoor Shah in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Studies as well as three graduate students - will design and synthesize L-Rha and L-Rha-containing molecules with specific chain-lengths and connectivity using a novel microwave-assisted chemistry.

The team will then employ state-of-the-art biochemical assays to explore how their synthetic molecules perturb and proliferate antioxidant activity in cells, in effect depleting radicals known to cause the amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles that are biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease.

The researchers hope their findings will ultimately inform new disease treatment with new drug development strategies.

"The more we understand the root cause(s) of Alzheimer's disease, the better equipped we are to combat it," Andreana said. "It's important that we explore all possible factors when it comes to treating Alzheimer's disease, and the one we are laser-focused on is antioxidant activity."

Rep. Marcy Kaptur, who represents Ohio's Ninth Congressional District, praised the federal investment in Andreana's research in an announcement in September.

"As we know, northwest Ohio is home to some of the brightest minds and most innovative research institutions in the country," she said. "This federal investment in The University of Toledo's pioneering work on Alzheimer's disease will help advance our understanding of this devastating illness that affects millions of families nationwide. These research efforts not only strengthen our region's role in life-saving medical research but also offer hope to patients and caregivers alike."