A pair of cancer drugs may have the potential to reverse Alzheimer’s brain changes.
Researchers gave letrozole and irinotecan — typically given to breast cancer patients and colon and lung cancer patients, respectively — to mice exhibiting Alzheimer’s symptoms.
“It undid the gene expression signatures in neurons and glia that had emerged as the disease progressed,” the press release states. “It reduced both the formation of toxic clumps of proteins and brain degeneration. And, importantly, it restored memory.”
The study, published in Cell, began with data derived from brain donors that was compared with “a database of results from testing the effects of thousands of drugs on gene expression in human cells.”
“We’re excited that our computational approach led us to a potential combination therapy for Alzheimer’s based on existing FDA-approved medications,” said one of the study’s leads, Marina Sirota, in a statement. “…We’re hopeful this can be swiftly translated into a real solution for millions of patients with Alzheimer’s.
