9 replies to this topic

[czkeidel@aol.com]

I found some interesting research linking gleevec + bcr-abl+alzheimer's -- research by Paul Greengard -- here is one of the articles: http://cancerofthebr...heimers-disease

Does anyone know about this??  Trey???

[WoofWoof]

Is this a special link that only Trey can get?

[PhilB]

I was wondering if there was a specific reason they were linking Trey with Alzheimers...

[PhilB]

Like Woof Woof I can't get the link to work, but the last I remember reading there was a long line of maybes linking Gleevec to a possible approach for treating Alzheimers.  There appeared to be some evidence that imatinib might reduce plaques that were associated with Alzheinmers, but I have no idea of the dosage levels, it was only in mice and there wasn't proof that getting rid the plaques prevented Alzheimers.  Would be nice if it did help, but I'm not holding my breath.  Nor will I be sharing my tablets with any mice.

[Trey]

Gleevec was initially thought to be a possible candidate for treating Alzheimers, but the issue is that Gleevec does not cross over the blood-brain barrier, meaning it cannot go from the bloodstream into the brain fluid where it would need to go to fight the Alzheimers.  But the research is focusing on using a molecule like Gleevec, but altering it so it can cross over into the brain fluid.  All still theory, but it has some promise.  Here is a story about Gleevec and Alzheimers:

http://thechart.blog...eimers-one-day/

Sprycel is the only current CML drug that crosses the blood-brain barrier.  I don't know if it has any ability to fight Alzheimers. 

[CallMeLucky]

I couldn't link to the article, but everything I have read about this has nothing to do with CML and Alzheimer's being related in anyway.  The research done showed that Gleevec (actually some derivative or Gleevec) may reduce plaque in the brain for Alzheimer's patients.  This is more about Gleevec having another use rather than Alzheimer's being related to CML.  Gleevec has many cross uses, most notably for GIST.  CML and GIST have nothing to do with each other and we are no more likely to get GIST than anyone else.  I would expect the same for Alzheimer's.

[Trey]

Oh, if the question was about a link between CML and Alzheimers, then no, there is no link whatsoever. 

[czkeidel@aol.com]

Thanks for all your responses.  I wasn't really thinking that cml and alzheimers are related directly but my understanding of the articles (which is mostly likely off base anyway)

is that if the BCR-ABL gene causes bad cells to profliferate (underlying CML) and wasn't sure if the

research was saying this same gene causes amyloid plaques to develop in the brain -- so would CML patients have more cognitive impairments as a result of a malfunction in bcr/abl gene.  Admittedly, this isn't my field and none of the articles that I read mentioned any direct link -- my question -- if the bcr/abl malfunction causes havoc on blood cells --and is also related to an overproduction of amyloid that leads to plaques in brain of Alzheimer patients - could there be a higher genetic risk in some families --I know gene in CML is acquired but maybe there is familial risk that comes out in different conditions (ms, cml, alzheimers) -- not sure my question is even clear to me but just wondered what people knew about it.   

[Trey]

The article does not try to link BCR-ABL to Alzheimers.  No connection whatsoever.