Methods of stabilizing the neuronal proteome against collapse and protecting vascular cells

A method of reducing the level of a marker Alzheimer's Dementia (AD) pathology or slowing the increase of a marker of AD pathology in a patient diagnosed as at risk of developing AD or in a patient diagnosed as having AD, comprising

• determining a first level of the marker of AD pathology in the patient
• administering an amount of a Chaperone Mediated Autophagy (CMA) activator to the patient sufficient to activate CMA in the neurons of the patient daily for a period of at least 3 months, at least 6 months, or at least 12 months;
• and
• determining a second level of the marker of AD pathology in the patient after the administration of the CMA activator;
• comparing the first level and the second level of the marker AD pathology;
• and determining whether the level of the marker of AD pathology has decreased or slowed in the patient;
• wherein the marker of AD pathology is a phosphorylation of tau, oligomerization of tau, an increase in beta-amyloid, an increase insoluble tau, or an increase in α-synuclein protein.

A method of preventing, reducing, or slowing advancement of atherosclerotic disease in a subject, comprising

• identifying an early symptom or biomarker of atherosclerotic disease in the subject, or identifying the presence of an arterial plague or arterial fatty streak in the subject, and
• administering a therapeutically effective amount of a chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) activator to the subject,
• wherein the subject is asymptomatic or is in an early symptomatic stage of the atherosclerotic disease;
• wherein a sufficient amount of the CMA activator is administered to reduce the fraction cholesterol and/or triglycerides in the VLDL and LDL fractions of the subject relative to the level of cholesterol and/or triglycerides in the VLDL and LDL fractions prior to administration of the CMA activator.

A method of reducing a C-reactive protein level in a subject identified as at risk of developing atherosclerosis, comprising:

• determining a first level C-reactive protein in the patient;
• and
• administering an amount of a Chaperone Mediated Autophagy (CMA) activator to the patient sufficient to activate CMA in the vascular tissue of the patient;
• wherein the CMA activator is administered at least once daily for a period of at least 6 weeks, at least 3 months, at least 6 months, or at least 12 months;
• determining a second level of the marker of C-reactive protein in the patient after the period of administration of the CMA activator;
• and
• comparing the first level and the second level of the C-reactive protein in the subject.