Red wine compounds block formation of Alzheimer's protein

Researchers have found that polyphenols present in red wine may help to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease by blocking the formation of the amyloid beta proteins that make up amyloid plaques and reducing the toxicity of existing plaques.

Professor David Teplow and colleagues at the University of California Los Angeles and Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York were studying how the amyloid beta proteins Aß40 and Aß42 formed aggregates that killed nerve cells in mice. For this particular study they treated the proteins with a commercially available grape seed polyphenolic extract called MegaNatural-AZ (MN).

Results showed that the polyphenols prevented the amyloid proteins from forming the toxic aggregates of amyloid beta. Furthermore, the compound also reduced the toxicity of pre-formed amyloid beta aggregates.

"If the Aß proteins can't assemble, toxic aggregates can't form, and thus there is no toxicity. Our work in the laboratory, and Mt. Sinai's Dr. Giulio Pasinetti's work in mice, suggest that administration of the compound to Alzheimer's patients might block the development of these toxic aggregates, prevent disease development and also ameliorate existing disease," said Professor Teplow in a news release.

The authors concluded that their findings suggest that the extract “is worthy of consideration as a therapeutic agent” for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease.

Ono K, Condron MM, Ho L, Wang J, Zhao W, Pasinetti GM, Teplow DB. Effects of Grape Seed-derived Polyphenols on Amyloid β-Protein Self-assembly and Cytotoxicity. J Biol Chem. 2008;47:32176-32187. doi:10.1074/jbc.M806154200

News release: Red, red wine: How it fights Alzheimer's. University of California - Los Angeles. November 29th 2008.