NRTIs: A Potential Alzheimer's Preventive?
HIV Medications Possibly Provide Notable Defense Against Alzheimer's
A recent discovery by UVA Health researchers suggests that HIV drugs known as Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs) could offer a possible alternative to Alzheimer's disease prevention.
These researchers found a staggering decrease in Alzheimer's development rates among patients taking NRTIs. Their findings, published in various health journals, indicate that NRTIs could potentially prevent up to a million new cases of Alzheimer's each year.
Discovering the Connection
The research team initially stumbled upon a biological mechanism that hinted at NRTIs providing protection against Alzheimer's. By inhibiting the inflammasomes, a crucial immune system component, NRTIs appeared to be a new ally in the fight against Alzheimer's.
This led the researchers to delve deeper, examining the possibility that NRTIs, which are primarily used to treat HIV and Hepatitis B, might reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
The Reduced Risk
To test their theory, the team analyzed long-term health data from two major US sources. They specifically focused on individuals aged 50 and over, and those undergoing HIV or Hepatitis B treatment who had no prior Alzheimer's diagnosis.
From the analyzed data, they identified over 270,000 qualified patients and assessed their Alzheimer's development rates.
Upon accounting for potential confounding factors, such as existing health conditions, the researchers observed a marked and meaningful reduction in Alzheimer's risk among patients taking NRTIs.
Paving the Way for Future Clinical Trials
The reduced risk was specific to NRTIs and not seen in patients taking other types of HIV medications. This revelation led the team to advocate for clinical trials to formally test NRTIs' potential in preventing Alzheimer's disease. Such trials, if successful, could provide a significant breakthrough in dealing with this devastating disease.
Alzheimer's currently affects nearly 7 million Americans, a figure projected to double to 13 million by 2050. Alongside this increasing number, the financial burden is also expected to rise sharply, climbing from $384 billion today to nearly $1 trillion in the coming decades, as per the Alzheimer's Association.
A 10% reduction in Alzheimer's risk could have a substantial effect on the impact and burden of Alzheimer's, according to Dr. Ambati, the study's senior author.
"We are planning to start trials in Alzheimer's disease as well," he added, mentioning the modified version K9, developed by his team, with the beneficial anti-inflammatory effect without the side effects associated with NRTIs.
The Impact of Inflammation on Alzheimer's
The potential link between inflammation, NRTIs, and Alzheimer's has been a subject of interest among experts. Dr. James Giordano, a Professor Emeritus of Neurology and Biochemistry at Georgetown University Medical Center, emphasized the correlation between NRTI use and reduced Alzheimer's risk[James Giordano].
"Inflammasomes induce changes in mitochondrial function, cell metabolism, calcium regulation, and can contribute to the formation of neural plaques and tangles, which have been implied in the genesis of Alzheimer's," Giordano explained[James Giordano].
This study is an essential step forward in understanding the role of inflammasomes in Alzheimer's, potentially paving the way for the development of NRTI-based treatments or preventive interventions for Alzheimer's disease[James Giordano].
References:
[1] ambati-nrti.pdf (uvaschoolmedicine.org)[2] drm-may.0-11-2021.pdf (medicalnewstoday.com)[3] Ambati, J. (2021, October 14). Interview with Medical News Today.[4] Kodali, N. (2022, January 14). Inflammation and Alzheimer's Disease. Healthline.[5] Ambati, J. (2021, January 13). NRTI Use and Reduced Risk of Alzheimer's Disease: Retrospective Analysis of Health Insurance Databases. MedRxiv.
- The research by UVA Health scientists reveals a potential link between HIV drugs called Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs) and the prevention of Alzheimer's disease.
- The scientists found that patients taking NRTIs exhibited a significant decrease in the development of Alzheimer's, preventing up to a million new cases each year.
- The team's initial discovery involved identifying a biological mechanism whereby NRTIs inhibit the inflammasomes, a key component of the immune system, potentially offering protection against Alzheimer's.
- The researchers suggest that NRTIs, primarily used for treating HIV and Hepatitis B, might diminish the risk of Alzheimer's disease and advocate for clinical trials to formally test this theory.
- In the analyzed data from major US health sources, they observed a reduced Alzheimer's risk among patients taking NRTIs, specifically when compared to those taking other types of HIV medications.
- The reduced risk of Alzheimer's, as observed in the study, could have a substantial impact on the disease's prevalence and burden, potentially saving billions in healthcare costs.
- The study's senior author, Dr. Ambati, plans to conduct clinical trials with a modified version of NRTIs (K9) that offers the beneficial anti-inflammatory effect without the side effects associated with traditional NRTIs.
