AMPHIPHILIC COMPOUNDS FOR ATTENUATING NEUROTOXICITY OF AMYLOID-beta OLIGOMERS AND DIAGNOSTIC METHODS

Abstract

Herein is disclosed amphiphilic small molecules with different hydrophobic and hydrophilic fragments that show high M binding affinity to both Aβ plaques and oligomers, and selectively binding Aβ oligomers. These amphiphilic compounds can also label the Aβ species in the brain sections of transgenic AD mice, as shown by immunostaining with an Aβ antibody. Certain amphiphilic compounds were found to alleviate the Cu2+-Aβ induced toxicity in cell viability assays. Additionally, two compounds, ZY-15-MT and ZY-15-OMe, were found to disrupt the interactions between Aβ oligomers and human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell membranes. These studies show compounds with amphiphilic properties that target Aβ oligomers and modulate the Aβ oligomer-cell membrane interactions can be effective as small molecule AD therapeutics. Also, the disclosed amphiphilic dicyanomethylene compounds that can emit in the near-infrared region and chelate copper can be used as early diagnostic agents for AD.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.