Neuroprotective thiourea derivative uncouples mitochondria and exerts weak protonophoric action on lipid membranes.

The isothiourea derivative NT-1505 is known as a neuroprotector and cognition enhancer in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. Bearing in mind possible relation of the NT-1505-mediated neuroprotection to mitochondrial uncoupling activity, here, we examine NT-1505 effects on mitochondria functioning. At concentrations starting from 10 μM, NT-1505 prevented Ca-induced mitochondrial swelling, similar to common uncouplers.

New Adamantane-Containing Edaravone Conjugates as Potential Neuroprotective Agents for ALS Treatments.

Currently, there are no effective drugs for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Only two drugs-edaravone and riluzole-have been approved, but they have very limited efficacy. The aim of this work was to modify the structural core of the Edaravone-phenylpyrazolone moiety and combine it with aminoadamantane pharmacophore in order to expand the spectrum of its action to a number of processes involved in the pathogenesis of ALS.

Mitochondria and Oxidative Stress as a Link between Alzheimer's Disease and Diabetes Mellitus.

This review is devoted to the problems of the common features linking metabolic disorders and type 2 diabetes with the development of Alzheimer's disease. The pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease closely intersects with the mechanisms of type 2 diabetes development, and an important risk factor for both pathologies is aging. Common pathological mechanisms include both factors in the development of oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, insulin resistance, and amyloidosis, as well as impaired mitochondrial dysfunctions and increasing cell death.

Conjugates of methylene blue with γ-carboline derivatives as new multifunctional agents for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

We studied the inhibitory activity of methylene blue (MB) γ-carbolines (gC) conjugates (MB-gCs) against human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (AChE), equine serum butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and a structurally related enzyme, porcine liver carboxylesterase (CaE). In addition, we determined the ability of MB-gCs to bind to the peripheral anionic site (PAS) of Electrophorus electricus AChE (EeAChE) and competitively displace propidium iodide from this site. Moreover, we examined the ability of MB-gCs to scavenge free radicals as well as their influence on mitochondrial potential and iron-induced lipid peroxidation.

Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore as a Suitable Targ e t for Neuroprotective Agents Against Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: A considerable amount of data suggests the age-related impairments of mitochondrial functions in the development of sporadic forms of neurodegenerative pathologies. Mitochondria and the phenomenon of mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), which marks the point of no return in cell death cascades, have special value in this regard. It is important that the vulnerability to MPT-inducing factors is increased with aging.

Dimebon attenuates the Aβ-induced mitochondrial permeabilization.

The currently available experimental data supports the hypothesis that the neuroprotective effect of dimebon is related to the protection of the brain-mitochondria from neurodegeneration. In this study, the influence of dimebon on mitochondria was investigated to gain a better understanding of the neuroprotective effects of this drug. Here, we demonstrate that dimebon enhances the resistance of the isolated rat brain and liver mitochondria to the induction of mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) by calcium ions even in the presence of atractyloside, a MPT pore (MPTP) opener, but is ineffective against atractyloside-induced mitochondria swelling.

Synthesis and biological activity of N-substituted-tetrahydro-γ-carbolines containing peptide residues.

The synthesis of novel peptide conjugates of N-substituted-tetrahydro-γ-carbolines has been performed using the sequence of the Ugi multicomponent reaction and Cu(I)-catalyzed click chemistry. The effect of obtained γ-carboline-peptide conjugates on the rat liver mitochondria was evaluated. It was found that all compounds in the concentration of 30 µM did onot induce depolarization of mitochondria but possessed some inhibitory effect on the mitochondria permeability transition.