November 8, 2016.
Detect Alzheimer’s disease markers earlier to treat patients as quickly as possible. Several French researchers have joined forces to try this experiment, made possible thanks to llama antibodies.
Llama antibodies allow brain damage to be observed up close
Faced with Alzheimer’s disease, the major challenge facing doctors is to be able to detect disease markers as early as possible. However, located within the brain itself, they are difficult to access for diagnosis.. French researchers have succeeded in detecting two of these markers, which are difficult to observe by conventional imaging, using llama antibodies.
Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the agglomeration of amyloid plaques that attach themselves to certain areas of the brain, preventing the proper functioning of neurons and leading to cell death. During their experience, researchers have succeeded in creating two new types of antibodies capable of detecting amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, which are characteristic of the disease. Their discovery was made possible thanks to the antibodies of llamas, which have the particularity of being small, which makes them easy to use.
Diagnose Alzheimer’s disease early to treat the disease quickly
” Those antibodies have the rare ability to pass through the blood-brain barrier which usually protects the brain from microbial attacks but also prevents the diffusion of potential therapeutic molecules to the brain », Explains the Pasteur Institute in a press release.
Tested in vitro on brain tissues of patients with Alzheimer’s disease, then, in vivo, on mice, these antibodies, modified so as to be able to track them using a fluorescent marker, succeeded in crossing the blood barrier. encephalic to attach itself to the desired markers. The signs of the disease have, in this way, been made visible and observable by medical imaging, thus offering scientists the opportunity to observe these clues and to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease early.. ” Being able to offer an early diagnosis could make it possible to test treatments before symptoms appear, which was not possible until now. ”, Considers Pierre Lafaye, responsible for the antibody engineering platform at the Institut Pasteur.
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