Experimental Nasal Spray Slows Alzheimer’s Progression

Researchers identify a potential therapeutic target by inhibiting a brain enzyme linked to cognitive decline and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease.

• Italian researchers developed a nasal spray that inhibits the S-acyltransferase (zDHHC) enzyme, showing promise in slowing Alzheimer’s progression in mice models.
• The enzyme zDHHC was found in excess in post-mortem brains of Alzheimer’s patients, correlating with worse cognitive performance and increased protein clumping in the brain.
• Inhibiting S-palmitoylation, a process regulated by zDHHC enzymes, reduced harmful protein buildup, improved cognition, and extended lifespans in genetically modified mice with Alzheimer’s-like conditions.
• The nasal spray uses 2-bromopalmitate, but researchers caution it is not precise enough for human use, prompting exploration of alternative therapies like genetic patches or engineered proteins.
• The findings, supported by a €890,000 grant, offer new insights into Alzheimer’s pathophysiology and could pave the way for future clinical trials targeting zDHHC enzymes.

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