Latest news with #MarinaSirota
Fox News
5 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
Two cancer drugs show promise in reversing Alzheimer's devastating effects
NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! Two cancer drugs could potentially slow or even reverse the effects of Alzheimer's disease, a new study suggests. Researchers at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) explored how the common dementia changes gene expression (which genes are turned on or off) in certain brain cells, according to a press release from the university. Next, they looked at which existing FDA-approved drugs might counteract, or reverse, those changes. ALZHEIMER'S RISK COULD RISE WITH SPECIFIC SLEEP PATTERN, EXPERTS WARN In analyzing millions of electronic medical records of adults over 65, the researchers identified two medications that appeared to reduce the likelihood of Alzheimer's in the patients who took them. The medications — letrozone and irinotecan — are both approved to treat cancer. Letrozole is a breast cancer medication and irinotecan treats colon and lung cancer. When the scientists tested a combination of both medications in mice, they noted a reversal of the gene expression changes that were initiated by Alzheimer's. They also discovered a reduction in tau protein clumps in the brain — a key marker of Alzheimer's — and an improvement in learning and memory. "Alzheimer's disease comes with complex changes to the brain, which has made it tough to study and treat, but our computational tools opened up the possibility of tackling the complexity directly," said co-senior author Marina Sirota, PhD, the interim director of the UCSF Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute and professor of pediatrics, in the press release. EATING THESE COMMON FOODS COULD REDUCE ALZHEIMER'S RISK, EXPERTS SAY "We're excited that our computational approach led us to a potential combination therapy for Alzheimer's based on existing FDA-approved medications." The results of the study, which was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation, were published in the journal Cell on July 21. While the study's outcome was promising, the researchers acknowledged several limitations, including the fact that the database they used to identify possible drugs was built from cancer cells, not brain cells. They also noted that animal models were used. "Although necessary, validation in animal models may not fully recapitulate human biology," the researchers wrote. MEN FACE DOUBLE DEMENTIA RISK IF THEY HAVE A HIDDEN GENETIC MUTATION There was also a noticeable gender difference in response to the medications, with male mice responding better than females. "As a hormone modulator, letrozole might contribute to this sex difference," the team noted. "However, the analysis remains inconclusive due to the small number of male letrozole users." The electronic medical records could also present limitations, "as data tend to be sparse and are not collected with specific research in mind." "We're hopeful this can be swiftly translated into a real solution for millions of patients with Alzheimer's." More than seven million people in the U.S. are currently living with Alzheimer's, according to the Alzheimer's Association. This number is expected to approach 13 million by the year 2050. There are currently only two disease-modifying medications that have been FDA-approved to treat Alzheimer's, UCSF states. Lecanemab (Leqembi) and donanemab (Kisunla) are both monoclonal antibodies that are administered via IV infusions. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP They work by reducing the build-up of amyloid plaques in the brain, but they are only effective for those with early-stage Alzheimer's and have the potential for some serious side effects, according to experts. (Other Alzheimer's medications help with symptoms, but don't treat the underlying disease.) CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER "Alzheimer's is likely the result of numerous alterations in many genes and proteins that, together, disrupt brain health," said co-senior study author Yadong Huang, M.D., PhD, professor of neurology and pathology at UCSF, in the release. "This makes it very challenging for drug development — which traditionally produces one drug for a single gene or protein that drives disease." Looking ahead, the researchers plan to start a clinical trial to explore the combined drugs' impact on human patients with Alzheimer's. "If completely independent data sources, such as single-cell expression data and clinical records, guide us to the same pathways and the same drugs, and then resolve Alzheimer's in a genetic model, then maybe we're onto something," Sirota said in the release. For more Health articles, visit "We're hopeful this can be swiftly translated into a real solution for millions of patients with Alzheimer's."
Time of India
7 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Alzheimer: Researchers find two cancer drugs reverse damaged gene behaviour in mice
New Delhi: A study that compared gene behaviour in Alzheimer's disease with that caused by 1,300 drugs approved for use in the US has found that a combination of two cancer drugs could slow the neurodegenerative disease in mice, indicating a promise in reversing symptoms in humans. Alzheimer's disease is an ageing-related disorder in which cognitive function steadily declines, affecting speech and memory, and eventually can interfere with everyday activities. Scientists at the University of California, San Francisco, and Gladstone Institutes in the US first saw how gene behaviour was affected in Alzheimer's disease in a single brain cell. The researchers then looked at 1,300 drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and which of them reversed the damage. The next stage of the study, published in the journal 'Cell', analysed electronic medical records of about 1.4 million patients and found that patients who took some of these drugs for treating conditions other than Alzheimer's disease were less likely to get the ageing-related neurological disorder. Testing the top two drug candidates -- ' letrozole ' and ' irinotecan ', both of which are cancer medications -- in a mouse model having Alzheimer's disease, the researchers found that brain degeneration was reduced and a restored ability to remember. Letrozole is usually prescribed for treating breast cancer, and irinotecan for colon and lung cancer. The combined effects of two drugs were found to reverse damaged gene behaviour in neurons and glia (a type of brain cells that surround and support neurons). Further, toxic clumps of proteins and brain degeneration -- hallmark features of Alzheimer's -- were found to be reduced and memory restored, the researchers said. The team added that out of 1,300 drugs, 86 reversed gene behaviour changes in one type of brain cell and 25 reversed them in other types. However, only 10 had been approved for use in humans by the FDA. "Thanks to all these existing data sources, we went from 1,300 drugs, to 86, to 10, to just five," said lead author Yaqiao Li, a postdoctoral scholar at Gladstone Institutes. "Alzheimer's disease comes with complex changes to the brain which has made it tough to study and treat, but our computational tools opened up the possibility of tackling the complexity directly," said co-senior author Marina Sirota, professor of paediatrics and an interim director at the University of California. Co-senior author Yadong Huang, director of the center for translational advancement at Gladstone Institutes, said, "Alzheimer's is likely the result of numerous alterations in many genes and proteins that, together, disrupt brain health." "This makes it very challenging for drug development -- which traditionally produces one drug for a single gene or protein that drives disease," Huang said. The electronic medical records analysed in the study came from the University of California's Health Data Warehouse, which includes anonymised health information on 1.4 million people over the age of 65.
The Hindu
22-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Alzheimer's disease: Researchers find two cancer drugs reverse damaged gene behaviour in mice
A study that compared gene behaviour in Alzheimer's disease with that caused by 1,300 drugs approved for use in the US has found that a combination of two cancer drugs could slow the neurodegenerative disease in mice, indicating a promise in reversing symptoms in humans. Alzheimer's disease is an ageing-related disorder in which cognitive function steadily declines, affecting speech and memory, and eventually can interfere with everyday activities. Scientists at the University of California, San Francisco, and Gladstone Institutes in the US first saw how gene behaviour was affected in Alzheimer's disease in a single brain cell. The researchers then looked at 1,300 drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and which of them reversed the damage. The next stage of the study, published in the journal 'Cell', analysed electronic medical records of about 1.4 million patients and found that patients who took some of these drugs for treating conditions other than Alzheimer's disease were less likely to get the ageing-related neurological disorder. Testing the top two drug candidates -- 'letrozole' and 'irinotecan', both of which are cancer medications -- in a mouse model having Alzheimer's disease, the researchers found that brain degeneration was reduced and a restored ability to remember. Letrozole is usually prescribed for treating breast cancer, and irinotecan for colon and lung cancer. The combined effects of two drugs were found to reverse damaged gene behaviour in neurons and glia (a type of brain cells that surround and support neurons). Further, toxic clumps of proteins and brain degeneration -- hallmark features of Alzheimer's -- were found to be reduced and memory restored, the researchers said. The team added that out of 1,300 drugs, 86 reversed gene behaviour changes in one type of brain cell and 25 reversed them in other types. However, only 10 had been approved for use in humans by the FDA. "Thanks to all these existing data sources, we went from 1,300 drugs, to 86, to 10, to just five," said lead author Yaqiao Li, a postdoctoral scholar at Gladstone Institutes. "Alzheimer's disease comes with complex changes to the brain which has made it tough to study and treat, but our computational tools opened up the possibility of tackling the complexity directly," said co-senior author Marina Sirota, professor of paediatrics and an interim director at the University of California. Co-senior author Yadong Huang, director of the center for translational advancement at Gladstone Institutes, said, "Alzheimer's is likely the result of numerous alterations in many genes and proteins that, together, disrupt brain health." "This makes it very challenging for drug development -- which traditionally produces one drug for a single gene or protein that drives disease," Huang said. The electronic medical records analysed in the study came from the University of California's Health Data Warehouse, which includes anonymised health information on 1.4 million people over the age of 65.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
These two cancer drugs may help lower your risk of Alzheimer's disease, study shows
Scientists have identified two cancer drugs that may also lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease as they search for some way to lower its impact on an aging population. In a study published on Monday in the medical journal Cell, researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, combed through more than 1,300 candidate drugs — from antipsychotics to antibiotics — for anything that could help alleviate the incurable condition. Only 90 of those drugs targeted the brain cell genes thought to influence Alzheimer's, and of those only five showed evidence of actually reducing the risk of Alzheimer's in human patients. The scientists then chose letrozole, designed to fight breast cancer, and irinotecan, intended for treating colon and lung cancer, to test on mice. 'We didn't expect cancer drugs to come up," study co-author Marina Sirota told NBC News. In fact, the two drugs used in combination did appear to improve memory and brain function in aging mice who had begun to show signs of dementia. The effects still need to be proven in human studies (PA Wire) That result still needs to be tested in humans, and the drugs may prove less effective in humans. Still, the finding is significant because pharmaceutical companies have so far struggled to develop purpose-built drugs for the disease. "Developing a new drug can take hundreds of millions, or even billions, of dollars, on average take more than ten years," said study co-author Dr. Yadong Huang. "For this repurposed drug, usually it just takes two or three years, and then you can go to the clinical trial and the cost is much, much lower. "We still haven't generated or produced any very effective drugs that can really slow dramatically the cognitive decline," he added. Over seven million Americans live with Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association, including 1 in 9 people aged over 65. The number is only likely to grow as the average age of the U.S. population continues to climb, with care costs for people with dementia projected to grow from $384 billion in 2025 to nearly $1 trillion by 2050.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
These two cancer drugs may help lower your risk of Alzheimer's disease, study shows
Scientists have identified two cancer drugs that may also lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease as they search for some way to lower its impact on an aging population. In a study published on Monday in the medical journal Cell, researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, combed through more than 1,300 candidate drugs — from antipsychotics to antibiotics — for anything that could help alleviate the incurable condition. Only 90 of those drugs targeted the brain cell genes thought to influence Alzheimer's, and of those only five showed evidence of actually reducing the risk of Alzheimer's in human patients. The scientists then chose letrozole, designed to fight breast cancer, and irinotecan, intended for treating colon and lung cancer, to test on mice. 'We didn't expect cancer drugs to come up," study co-author Marina Sirota told NBC News. In fact, the two drugs used in combination did appear to improve memory and brain function in aging mice who had begun to show signs of dementia. The effects still need to be proven in human studies (PA Wire) That result still needs to be tested in humans, and the drugs may prove less effective in humans. Still, the finding is significant because pharmaceutical companies have so far struggled to develop purpose-built drugs for the disease. "Developing a new drug can take hundreds of millions, or even billions, of dollars, on average take more than ten years," said study co-author Dr. Yadong Huang. "For this repurposed drug, usually it just takes two or three years, and then you can go to the clinical trial and the cost is much, much lower. "We still haven't generated or produced any very effective drugs that can really slow dramatically the cognitive decline," he added. Over seven million Americans live with Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association, including 1 in 9 people aged over 65. The number is only likely to grow as the average age of the U.S. population continues to climb, with care costs for people with dementia projected to grow from $384 billion in 2025 to nearly $1 trillion by 2050.
