Humanin is a potential therapeutic agent for Alzheimer's disease, and its derivative, S14G-humanin, is 1 000-fold stronger in its neuroprotective effect against Alzheimer's disease-relevant insults. Al-though effective, the detailed molecular mechanism through which S14G-humanin exerts its effects remains unclear.
A recent study by Xue Li and colleagues from Henan Provincial People's Hospital, China investigated the inhibitory effects of S14G-humanin on amyloid-beta protein-induced hippocampal neuronal injury, and data from this study showed that fibrillar amyloid-beta 40 disturbed cellular homeostasis through the cell membrane, increasing intracellular calcium, generating reactive oxygen species, and decreasing the mitochondrial membrane potential.
S14G-humanin blocked the effects of amyloid-beta 40 on the neuronal cell membrane, and restored the disturbed cellular homeostasis, thereby exhibiting a potential and effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease. These findings were published in the Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 8, No. 27, 2013).
Researchers uncover mechanism behind mitochondrial dysfunction in Alzheimer's