治療阿爾茨海默氏癥的藥物，對治療假牙假肢也有幫助

From a simple tooth to a major knee replacement, dental and orthopedic implant surgeries to common around the globe. However, these procedures can fail due to the immune system’s response to bacteria or metal particles coming off the implants. Now, a new study reveals a drug typically used with Alzheimer’s patients may prevent painful inflammation and rejection of the replacement.

從簡單的牙齒到大型膝關(guān)節(jié)置換，牙科和骨科植入手術(shù)已全球普及。然而，由于免疫系統(tǒng)對植入物上的細(xì)菌或金屬顆粒的反應(yīng)，這些手術(shù)很有可能會失敗?，F(xiàn)在，一項(xiàng)新的研究表明，阿爾茨海默氏癥患者通常使用的一種藥物可以預(yù)防疼痛性炎癥和替代藥物的排斥。

Researchers at Tel Aviv University say this inflammatory response can lead to the activation of osteoclasts, bone resorbing cells. These cells trigger a condition called osteolysis, which destroys the bone tissue around the implant. Once this process begins, scientists say it’s almost impossible to stop and will result in the patient losing their implant.

特拉維夫大學(xué)的研究人員說，這種炎癥反應(yīng)可以導(dǎo)致破骨細(xì)胞，骨吸收細(xì)胞的活化。這些細(xì)胞會引發(fā)一種叫做骨溶解的疾病，這種疾病會破壞植入物周圍的骨組織?？茖W(xué)家說，一旦這個(gè)過程開始，幾乎不可能停止，最后病人不得不移去植入物。

In the new report, study authors developed an active molecule (SNV) which comes from the short protein vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). The study finds this molecule can both suppress inflammation and ward off the destruction of bone tissue. Researchers believe the breakthrough will help patients having knee implantations, those with dental implants, and even people suffering gum recession due to gum disease.

在新的報(bào)告中，作者開發(fā)了一種來自短蛋白血管活性腸肽(VIP)的活性分子(SNV)。研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，這種分子可以抑制炎癥反應(yīng)，并防止骨組織的破壞。研究人員認(rèn)為，這一突破將有助于膝關(guān)節(jié)植入術(shù)患者、牙科植入者，甚至是因牙齦疾病而遭受牙齦萎縮的患者。

VIP works as a neurohormone and neurotransmitter and has ties to several different processes, including expanding blood vessels, expanding respiratory passages, cell division, and nerve protection. Until now, scientists have been using it as a treatment for brain cell health in patients dealing with dementia.

血管活性腸肽是一種神經(jīng)激素和神經(jīng)遞質(zhì)，與包括擴(kuò)張血管、擴(kuò)張呼吸道、細(xì)胞分裂和神經(jīng)保護(hù)的多種不同的過程有關(guān)。直到現(xiàn)在，科學(xué)家一直在使用它作為癡呆癥患者腦細(xì)胞健康的治療方法。

However, researchers attached a lipid (fat) to this protein, making the molecule “fatty” enough to penetrate the skin. Study authors say this will allow patients to use the drug as an ointment instead of an injection or oral medication.

然而，研究人員在這種蛋白質(zhì)上附加了一種脂肪，使得這種分子足以滲透到皮膚中。研究人員說，這就意味著患者只需要使用藥物軟膏，而不需要注射或口服藥物。

Researchers tested the molecule’s impact on both bone cells and immune cells. During their experiments, the team discovered metal particles coming from the implants accelerate the progression of bone resorption. However, in animal tests, study authors found SNV could suppress this resorption. Therefore, the new drug shows great promise at preserving the hold joint implants and teeth have in the surrounding bone tissue.

研究人員還測試了這種分子對骨細(xì)胞和免疫細(xì)胞的影響。在實(shí)驗(yàn)中，研究小組發(fā)現(xiàn)來自植入物的金屬顆粒加速了骨吸收的進(jìn)程。然而，在動(dòng)物實(shí)驗(yàn)中，研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn) SNV 可以抑制這種再吸收。因此，這種新藥物在保存骨組織中的關(guān)節(jié)假體和牙齒臨床應(yīng)用方面很有希望。

The study appears in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology.

這項(xiàng)研究發(fā)表在《藥理學(xué)前沿》雜志上。