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Scientists led by Dr. Lenka Maletínská have created a new compound from a natural brain peptide. This compound could help fight obesity and Alzheimer’s disease.
The modified CART neuropeptide is more stable, reduces appetite, and protects the brain from harmful tau proteins linked to Alzheimer’s. Their research was published in the European Journal of Pharmacology.
The new compound has shown positive results in tests with cells and animals. After receiving the compound, higher weight mice lost weight and had less of the harmful tau protein, a sign of Alzheimer’s, in their brains.
The compound works well because it’s modified with fatty acids, which help it cross into the brain. This allows it to reduce appetite and protect the brain, potentially helpful in treating or preventing neurodegenerative diseases, according to researcher Vilém Charvát.
Novo Nordisk first discovered the CART peptide in 1998. It is found in the hypothalamus and has a complex structure. However, scientists still don’t know which receptor it binds to. Dr. Andrea Pačesová from IOCB Prague is working to understand this to fully develop the peptide as a potential anti-obesity and Alzheimer’s drug. They need to figure out how it reaches the brain and which receptors it interacts with.
At IOCB Prague, Dr. Lenka Maletínská leads research on peptides that could help with obesity. She recently made a deal with Novo Nordisk for a promising substance.
Dr. Maletínská believes that appetite-lowering peptides might also aid in treating neurodegenerative diseases. She notes that new neurons can form in adulthood and that these peptides might help repair brain damage. Early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, during mild cognitive impairment, increases the chance of successful treatment.
Journal reference :
- Vilém Charvát, Anna Strnadová et al., Lipidized analogues of the anorexigenic CART (cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript) neuropeptide show anorexigenic and neuroprotective potential in mouse model of monosodium-glutamate induced obesity. European Journal of Pharmacology. DOI:10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176864.
