Sunday, July 15, 2018

New implantable capsule for Alzheimer’s prevention


implantable capsule for Alzheimer’s prevention
In a breakthrough Alzheimer’s treatment, scientists from the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland have developed an implantable capsule that works by turning the patient's immune system against the disease. The lab of Patrick Aebischer at EPFL developed this bioactive capsule which contains cells that have been genetically engineered to produce antibodies against amyloid-β.

When German psychiatrist and pathologist Alois Alzheimer described Alzheimer’s disease for the first time in 1906, he brought to light the presence of two types of lesions in the brain – Senile plaques and Neurofibrillary tangles. Senile plaques are caused by over-accumulation of the protein Amyloid beta (amyloid-β) in different parts of the brain.

The capsule, when implanted under the skin, releases antibodies that travel to the brain and activate the patient's immune system to clear beta-amyloid protein.


Scientists have long been looking for ways to tackle these plaques, and they discovered one of the most promising ways to fight it is to “tag” the beta-amyloid proteins with antibodies that signal the immune system to attack and destroy them, before they can form plaques.

In the latest study, Mr. Aebischer of the Brain Mind Institute at EPFL and colleagues note that such a treatment needs to be administered in the early stages of memory loss in order to be most effective. The procedure requires repeat injections, which could have adverse effects.

They say their new implantable capsule could offer a safer and highly effectual alternative.

The capsule, described as a "macroencapsulation device," is made of two permeable membranes sealed together with a polypropylene frame. The device is 27 mm in length, 12 mm wide and 1.2 mm thick. It comprises cells taken from genetically engineered muscle tissue that can produce high levels of antibodies that are able to recognize and target beta-amyloid proteins in the brain.

The cells inside the capsule are made not only to be able to produce antibodies, but also to be compatible with patient, in order to not trigger the immune system against them, like a transplant can. This is where the capsule’s membranes come into play. The permeable membranes of the capsules allow the cells to soak up all the nutrients and molecules they need from surrounding tissue.

When the capsule is implantedin tissue under the skin, it gradually releases the antibodies into the bloodstream. The antibodies then travel from blood to the brain to track down and tag beta-amyloid
The device was successfully tested on mice which showed great success. The mice used were a genetic line of mice that is commonly used to replicate Alzheimer’s disease. The test showed substantial reduction of amyloid-β plaque load.

Verily, over a period of 39 weeks, the capsules produced a constant flow of antibodies, which prevented the formation of amyloid-β plaques in the brain. The treatment also decreased the amount of phosphorylation of the protein tau seen in mice. Tau protein is also believed to play a role in Alzheimer's development by forming "tangles" – another hallmark of the disease.

The proof-of-concept study has been hailed as a landmark. The researchers say it clearly demonstrated that implantable capsules can be used safely and successfully to deliver antibodies in treating Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases that feature defective proteins.

2 comments:

  1. My name is Olisa Blessing, I feel so good. I never thought I would be this healthy again in my life. I have worked as an air hostess ( cabin crew ) for 3years but early this year, I lost my job because of this deadly disease called Herpes virus (HSV). I never felt sick or notice any symptoms. Not until the day all workers were asked to bring their doctors report card, that was how I got tested and I found out that I'm HSV positive and that made me lose my job because it was considered as an STD and is an incurable disease. I was so depressed that I started thinking of suicide.
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  2. I was able to overcome senile dementia via a complete naturopathic process.

    About two years ago, when I was 56, I started feeling foggy and had occasional memory lapses. My wife, Mary, started to notice it, too, but I also have hearing problems so she thought that was the issue. My memory problems aggravated very gradually over the years, and we lived with it, compensating as needed. I became less social. After some months thereafter, it got to the point where we couldn’t keep making excuses or ignoring it. I had gone from doing our grocery shopping without a list to going with a list, to having the list but not buying what was on it.

    Mary went online to do some research, and it was during this process we had been fortunate enough to come across Dr. Utu Herbal Cure: an African herbalist and witch doctor whose professional works had majored on the eradication of certain viral conditions, especially dementia, ( improving the memory capacity positively), via a traditional, naturopathic process and distinguished diet plan. It was by the administration of this herbal specialist that I had been able to improve my condition for better. So to say, the encounter with the above-mentioned herbal practitioner was the first time we ever heard there was something that possibly can be done to improve my memory functionality.

    By the existence of such an encounter, I was able to learn of the new approach by which this herbalist successfully treated dementia conditions, which included a distinguished herbal therapy and lifestyle changes of which I had undergone to a tremendous, positive effect.
    It was after the completion of the herbal therapy I had started to experience a great deal of cognitive improvement when it came to rational decision making.

    In brief, I was able to go through the dreadful hollows of senile dementia without any further hazardous damage to my health condition, and within a short period. Had it not been for the support of my wife, of whom had encouraged me to undergo the above-mentioned therapy and that of the herbal practitioner of whom now happens to be benefactor - I would have been long exposed to the further perils of this condition and of which had been apt to result to a calamitous end.

    I would also wish for the same positiveness upon patients who may happen to be suffering from this debilitating disease, and would warmly beseech them to find a confidant like this herbal specialist with whose professional services I was able to attain a divine recovery.

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