DNA vaccines effective in mouse model of Alzheimer's disease
DNA vaccines against Alzheimer's disease have been shown to be effective and safe in mouse models of the condition (Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences 2006;103:9619).
Non-viral amyloid-beta DNA vaccines encourage the body to produce antibodies
against beta-amyloid plaques, which are associated with age-related memory
impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.
A peptide vaccine against amyloid-beta was previously shown to be effective
in a human trial but the trial was halted due to cases of aseptic
meningoencephalitis in 6 per cent of participants (PJ, 11 October 2003, p488).
Researchers tested three DNA vaccines in mouse models of Alzheimer’s
disease as both prophylactic and treatment regimens. For two of the vaccines,
prophylactic use resulted in amyloid depositions being reduced to 38.5
per cent of those in the untreated groups at 18 months (P<0.01). Treatment
with the same two vaccines led to amyloid-beta deposition being reduced
to about 50 per cent of those in untreated mice at 18 months (P<0.01).
The researchers say that elevation of anti-amyloid-beta antibodies after
DNA vaccination was mild (two- to four-fold) compared with that in mice
that received peptide vaccine (10,000-fold). DNA vaccination did not
cause T-cell proliferation or neuroinflammation, they add.
The researchers conclude that amyloid-beta DNA vaccines are promising
as a vaccine therapy against human Alzheimer’s disease. Non-viral
DNA vaccines can be mass-produced with a high purity at a low price,
they add. |
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