A Molecular Link between the Active Component of Marijuana and Alzheimer's Disease Pathology
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- 作者：Lisa M. Eubanks ; Claude J. Rogers ; Albert E. Beuscher IV ; George F. Koob ; Arthur J. Olson ; Tobin J. Dickerson ; Kim D. Janda
- 刊名：Molecular Pharmaceutics
- 出版年：2006
- 出版时间：December 2006
- 年：2006
- 卷：3
- 期：6
- 页码：773 - 777
- 全文大小：143K
- 年卷期：v.3,no.6(December 2006)
- ISSN：1543-8392
文摘
Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia among the elderly, and withthe ever-increasing size of this population, cases of Alzheimer's disease are expected to tripleover the next 50 years. Consequently, the development of treatments that slow or halt the diseaseprogression have become imperative to both improve the quality of life for patients and reducethe health care costs attributable to Alzheimer's disease. Here, we demonstrate that the activecomponent of marijuana, 
9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), competitively inhibits the enzymeacetylcholinesterase (AChE) as well as prevents AChE-induced amyloid 
-peptide (A)aggregation, the key pathological marker of Alzheimer's disease. Computational modeling ofthe THC-AChE interaction revealed that THC binds in the peripheral anionic site of AChE, thecritical region involved in amyloidgenesis. Compared to currently approved drugs prescribedfor the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, THC is a considerably superior inhibitor of Aaggregation, and this study provides a previously unrecognized molecular mechanism throughwhich cannabinoid molecules may directly impact the progression of this debilitating disease.
9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), competitively inhibits the enzymeacetylcholinesterase (AChE) as well as prevents AChE-induced amyloid -peptide (A)aggregation, the key pathological marker of Alzheimer's disease. Computational modeling ofthe THC-AChE interaction revealed that THC binds in the peripheral anionic site of AChE, thecritical region involved in amyloidgenesis. Compared to currently approved drugs prescribedfor the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, THC is a considerably superior inhibitor of Aaggregation, and this study provides a previously unrecognized molecular mechanism throughwhich cannabinoid molecules may directly impact the progression of this debilitating disease.