New hope for Alzheimer’s patients? Cancer drug shows ‘high potential’

A type of drug being developed to fight cancer could be repurposed to treat Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages, a new study finds.

Blocking an enzyme called indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) can rescue memory and brain function in models that mimic Alzheimer’s, say Penn State researchers. IDO1 inhibitors have already shown promise in the fight against melanoma, leukemia and breast cancer.

“We are showing that there is high potential for IDO1 inhibitors, which are already within the repertoire of drugs being developed for cancer treatments, to target and treat Alzheimer’s,” said study co-author Melanie McReynolds, an assistant professor at Penn State .

A team from Penn State, Stanford University and other parts of the world found that blocking IDO1 helps restore healthy glucose metabolism in astrocytes, the most abundant cells in the human brain.

Glucose, a form of sugar, drives many processes as the brain’s main source of energy. Low glucose levels can impair brain function and lead to seizures, loss of consciousness and even permanent brain damage.

“We are demonstrating that by targeting brain metabolism, we can not only slow but reverse the progression of this disease,” explained Praveena Prasad, a Penn State doctoral student and co-author of the paper.

The findings — published Thursday in the journal Science — suggest that IDO1 inhibitors may also hold promise for Parkinson’s disease dementia and progressive neurodegenerative disorders.

Nearly 7 million Americans have been diagnosed with dementia, although researchers suspect the number of people with the neurological condition is actually much higher.

The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s, which is characterized by memory loss, confusion and behavioral changes.

There is no known cure for Alzheimer’s, but medications can help manage symptoms or slow the progression of the disease in its early stages.