Article published by BioSpace
A new peptide administered through a nasal spray shows promising results as an anticonvulsant and could ultimately be further developed as a treatment to prevent seizures in both epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
A study published in The American Society for Clinical Investigation outlines work conducted by researchers to develop a peptide called A1R-CT that disrupts the signaling between the molecule neurabin and the adenosine 1 receptor (A1R). A1R sits on the outside of the neuron and responds to adenosine, whereas neurabin binds to the receptor and blocks it from use.
It has previously been established that A1R has neuroprotective effects and that, when activated by adenosine, it mediates an anti-convulsant response. This, however, is often blocked by neurabin.
“Neurabin is a brake, so it doesn’t do too much,” Dr. Qin Wang, neuropharmacologist and founding director of the program for Alzheimer’s therapeutics discovery at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, told Science News. “But now we need to remove it to unleash A1’s power.”