BUSCADOR RECOLECTA

The formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), oxidative stress and neuroinflammation have emerged as key targets for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder. These pathological hallmarks are closely related to the over-activity of the enzyme GSK3β and the downregulation of the defense pathway Nrf2-EpRE observed in AD patients. Herein, we report the synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of a new family of multitarget 2,4-dihydropyrano[2,3-c]pyrazoles as dual GSK3β inhibitors and Nrf2 inducers. These compounds are able to inhibit GSK3β and induce the Nrf2 phase II antioxidant and anti-inflammatory pathway at micromolar concentrations, showing interesting structure-activity relationships. The association of both activities has resulted in a remarkable anti-inflammatory ability with an interesting neuroprotective profile on in vitro models of neuronal death induced by oxidative stress and energy depletion and AD. Furthermore, none of the compounds exhibited in vitro neurotoxicity or hepatotoxicity and hence they had improved safety profiles compared to the known electrophilic Nrf2 inducers. In conclusion, the combination of both activities in this family of multitarget compounds confers them a notable interest for the development of lead compounds for the treatment of AD., R.L. thanks Instituto de Salud Carlos III co-financed by the European Regional Development's funds (FEDER) for a research contract under Miguel Servet Program (CP11/00165) and financial support from the European Commission-REA, People (Marie Curie Actions) FP7 under REA grant agreement n° PCIG11-GA-2012-322156; Spanish Ministry of Health (Instituto de Salud Carlos III) (grant PI14/00372); Bayer AG, From Targets to Drugs (grant 2015-03-1282) and Fundación FIPSE (grant 12-00001344-15). Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, MINECO (grant CTQ-2015-68380-R) to J.C.M and grant SAF2015-63935R to M.G.L.; GW thanks Cancer Research UK (grant C9344/A10268), the BBSRC (grant BB/L01923X/1), the Bloomsbury Consortium and UCL School of Pharmacy for financial support. G.T. thanks Universidad Complutense for a predoctoral fellowship. P.M. thanks MECD for FPU fellowship (FPU13/03737). I. G. thanks UAM for a FPI fellowship. We also gratefully acknowledge the continued support of Instituto-Fundación Teófilo Hernando, Madrid, Spain., Peer Reviewed

Growing evidence suggests a close relationship between Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and cerebral hypoxia. Astrocytes play a key role in brain homeostasis and disease states, while some of the earliest changes in AD occur in astrocytes. We have therefore investigated whether mutations associated with AD increase astrocyte vulnerability to ischemia. Two astroglioma cell lines derived from APPSWE /PS1A246E (APP, amyloid precursor protein; PS1, presenilin 1) transgenic mice and controls from normal mice were subjected to oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD), an in vitro model of ischemia. Cell death was increased in the APPSWE /PS1A246E line compared to the control. Increasing extracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+ ]) exacerbated cell death in the mutant but not in the control cells. In order to explore cellular Ca2+ homeostasis, the cells were challenged with ATP or thapsigargin and [Ca2+ ] was measured by fluorescence microscopy. Changes in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+ ]c ) were potentiated in the APPSWE /PS1A246E transgenic line. Mitochondrial function was also altered in the APPSWE /PS1A246E astroglioma cells; mitochondrial membrane potential and production of reactive oxygen species were increased, while mitochondrial basal respiratory rate and ATP production were decreased compared to control astroglioma cells. These results suggest that AD mutations in astrocytes make them more sensitive to ischemia; Ca2+ dysregulation and mitochondrial dysfunction may contribute to this increased vulnerability. Our results also highlight the role of astrocyte dyshomeostasis in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative brain disorders., This work was supported by the Spanish Government (partially funded by the European Union ERDF/FEDER) Ref. SAF2015-63935R to M.G.L.; Ref. SAF2015-65586 to R.M.M; Ref. PI15/
00107 to A.M.R.; FPU/contract Ref. AP2009/0343 to A.J.M.O., the Spanish Ministry of Health (Instituto de Salud Carlos III) Ref. PI14/00372 to R.L and a grant from the Fundación Domingo Martínez (Spain) to A.M.R. and M.G.L. R.L. thanks the Instituto de Salud Carlos III and the European Regional Development’s funds (FEDER) for a research contract under the Miguel Servet II Program (CPII16/00014). We also thank the Fundación Teófilo Hernando for its continuous support., Peer reviewed