By including hydroxypropyl beta cyclodextrin (HPBCD) to a pharmaceutical composition, the director of the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT and colleagues have recently filed a patent application for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Specifically, HPBCD was added to reverse the cholesterol phenotype linked to the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE4) and inhibit amyloid synthesis.
As a result of APOE4 expression in oligodendrocytes, cholesterol builds up and myelination is compromised. Inhibiting cholesterol manufacture and enhancing cholesterol transport in APOE4 oligodendrocytes, according to the professor, may lessen intracellular buildup and enhance myelination. Simvastatin and atorvastatin, two tiny compounds that block the manufacture of cholesterol, were used in tests along with hydroxypropyl—cyclodextrin to test this theory.
It was discovered that HPBCD can boost cholesterol transport in APOE4 carriers and decrease aberrant cholesterol accumulation in oligodendrocytes. Additionally, using hydroxypropyl beta cyclodextrin can enhance memory and learning.
