Invasive and non-invasive therapies for Alzheimer's disease and other amyloidosis

Abstract

Advancements in medical science have facilitated in extending human lives. The increased life expectancy, though, has come at a cost. The cases of an aging population suffering from degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD) are presently at its all-time high. Amyloidosis disorders such as AD are triggered by an abnormal transition of soluble proteins into their highly ordered aggregated forms. The landscape of amyloidosis treatment remains unchanged, and there is no cure for such disorders. However, an increased understanding of the mechanism of amyloid self-assembly has given hope for a possible therapeutic solution. In this review, we will discuss the current state of molecular and non-molecular options for therapeutic intervention of amyloidosis. We highlight the efficacy of non-invasive physical therapies as possible alternatives to their molecular counterparts. Graphical abstract.

Keywords: Aggregation; Amyloid-beta; Non-invasive therapies; Protein folding; Protein misfolding diseases; Tau.

Graphical abstract

Fig. 1

A graphical illustration of protein misfolding diseases with their target organs

Fig. 2

A schematic illustration of the amyloid cascade hypothesis based on the amyloidogenic pathway

Fig. 3

A schematic illustration of the tau hypothesis directed neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease

Fig. 4

A schematic representation of therapeutic strategies targeting the intervention of Aβ aggregation (PDB id 3KTM was used for representing APP structure)

Fig. 5

A schematic illustration showing the classification of peptide-based inhibitors of Aβ aggregation

Fig. 6

A graphical illustration of potential non-invasive therapeutic approaches for neurodegenerative diseases