China News Service, Tianjin, March 7 (Sun Lingling, Jiao Defang, Shi Senfang) Reporters learned from Tianjin University that recently, Professor Chang Jin of the School of Life Sciences of Tianjin University and associate researcher Dou Yan of Tianjin Medical University General Hospital successfully developed an anti-inflammatory drug for women. Specific nanomedicines for Alzheimer's patients are expected to bring good news to personalized treatment of female patients.
Relevant results have been published in the international authoritative journal "Nano Today".
Schematic diagram of new nanomedicine for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease in women.
(Photo courtesy of Tianjin University)
Alzheimer's disease is a common neurodegenerative disease that is often accompanied by progressive deterioration of memory and cognitive functions.
There are currently tens of millions of Alzheimer's patients worldwide.
Studies have shown that there are clear gender differences in the development of this disease, which is always more likely to occur in women. The disease progression rate and death rate of female patients are 2 to 3 times that of men.
Where does female susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease come from?
Research suggests that the significant drop in estrogen levels in women after menopause may be a contributing factor to a greater risk of developing the disease.
Estrogen plays an important role in protecting the central nervous system in women. It works with specific estrogen receptors in the brain to promote neuronal growth and differentiation and maintain redox homeostasis in the brain.
Once women begin menopause, the long-term absence of estrogen, an important "guardian" of the central nervous system, will promote neurodegeneration and accelerate cognitive decline.
There is currently no female-specific treatment for Alzheimer's disease.
Professor Chang Jin from the School of Life Sciences of Tianjin University collaborated with Associate Researcher Dou Yan from Tianjin Medical University General Hospital to develop a multifunctional nanomedicine based on the phytoestrogen liquiritigen for the first time to achieve specific treatment of Alzheimer's disease in postmenopausal women. .
The nanomedicine can activate the neuroprotective signaling pathway mediated by specific estrogen receptors to a certain extent, and significantly improve oxidative stress, cholinergic abnormalities, neuronal damage and synaptic dysfunction caused by estrogen deficiency.
"The pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease is complex. We have currently developed 9 series of nanomedicines against Alzheimer's disease, published 8 high-level academic papers, obtained 4 authorized national invention patents, and published 1 PCT international patent . We are also negotiating with pharmaceutical companies to screen more precise nanomedicines for preclinical research." According to Professor Chang Jin: "In the future, it will be particularly important to develop more precise drug delivery methods, which will help maximize the efficacy. This is why we The next step is to tackle key issues. We strive to lay a solid foundation for nanomedicines to be truly used in patient treatment." (End)