Bridging Cyanobacteria to Neurodegenerative Diseases: A New Potential Source of Bioactive Compounds against Alzheimer’s Disease
Andrea Castaneda,
Ricardo Ferraz,
Mónica Vieira,
Isabel Cardoso,
Vitor Vasconcelos,
Rosário Martins
Affiliations
Andrea Castaneda
CISA, Health and Environment Research Centre, School of Health, Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ESS/P.PORTO), Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 400, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
Ricardo Ferraz
CISA, Health and Environment Research Centre, School of Health, Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ESS/P.PORTO), Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 400, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
Mónica Vieira
CISA, Health and Environment Research Centre, School of Health, Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ESS/P.PORTO), Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 400, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
Isabel Cardoso
I3S Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
Vitor Vasconcelos
CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
Rosário Martins
CISA, Health and Environment Research Centre, School of Health, Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ESS/P.PORTO), Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 400, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) represent a drawback in society given the ageing population. Dementias are the most prevalent NDs, with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) representing around 70% of all cases. The current pharmaceuticals for AD are symptomatic and with no effects on the progression of the disease. Thus, research on molecules with therapeutic relevance has become a major focus for the scientific community. Cyanobacteria are a group of photosynthetic prokaryotes rich in biomolecules with confirmed activity in pathologies such as cancer, and with feasible potential in NDs such as AD. In this review, we aimed to compile the research works focused in the anti-AD potential of cyanobacteria, namely regarding the inhibition of the enzyme β-secretase (BACE1) as a fundamental enzyme in the generation of β-amyloid (Aβ), the inhibition of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) lead to an increase in the availability of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft and the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, as phenomena associated with neurodegeneration mechanisms.
