: The identification of effective pharmacological tools for Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents one of the main challenges for therapeutic discovery. Due to the variety of pathological processes associated with AD, a promising route for pharmacological intervention involves the development of new chemical entities that can restore cellular homeostasis. To investigate this strategy, we designed and synthetized SG2, a compound related to the thyroid hormone thyroxine, that shares a pleiotropic activity with its endogenous parent compound, including autophagic flux promotion, neuroprotection, and metabolic reprogramming. We demonstrate herein that SG2 acts in a pleiotropic manner to induce recovery in a C. elegans model of AD based on the overexpression of Aβ42 and improves learning abilities in the 5XFAD mouse model of AD. Further, in vitro ADME-Tox profiling and toxicological studies in zebrafish confirmed the low toxicity of this compound, which represents a chemical starting point for AD drug development.

Identification of a Thyroid Hormone Derivative as a Pleiotropic Agent for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease

Runfola, Massimiliano;Bacci, Andrea;Polini, Beatrice;Chiellini, Grazia;Rapposelli, Simona
2021-01-01

Abstract

: The identification of effective pharmacological tools for Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents one of the main challenges for therapeutic discovery. Due to the variety of pathological processes associated with AD, a promising route for pharmacological intervention involves the development of new chemical entities that can restore cellular homeostasis. To investigate this strategy, we designed and synthetized SG2, a compound related to the thyroid hormone thyroxine, that shares a pleiotropic activity with its endogenous parent compound, including autophagic flux promotion, neuroprotection, and metabolic reprogramming. We demonstrate herein that SG2 acts in a pleiotropic manner to induce recovery in a C. elegans model of AD based on the overexpression of Aβ42 and improves learning abilities in the 5XFAD mouse model of AD. Further, in vitro ADME-Tox profiling and toxicological studies in zebrafish confirmed the low toxicity of this compound, which represents a chemical starting point for AD drug development.
2021
Runfola, Massimiliano; Perni, Michele; Yang, Xiaoting; Marchese, Maria; Bacci, Andrea; Mero, Serena; Santorelli, Filippo M; Polini, Beatrice; Chiellini, Grazia; Giuliani, Daniela; Vilella, Antonietta; Bodria, Martina; Daini, Eleonora; Vandini, Eleonora; Rudge, Simon; Gul, Sheraz; Wakelam, Michale O J; Vendruscolo, Michele; Rapposelli, Simona
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11568/1117695
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