Role of copper chelating agents: between old applications and new perspectives in neuroscience.

in Neural regeneration research by Rosalba Leuci, Leonardo Brunetti, Vincenzo Tufarelli, Marco Cerini, Marco Paparella, Nikola Puvača, Luca Piemontese

TLDR

  • The study is about how copper can affect our health and how we can use copper chelators to treat diseases like Alzheimer's. The study also talks about how we can use copper chelators in agriculture, livestock rearing, and aquaculture to improve animal health and prevent pollution.

Abstract

The role of copper element has been an increasingly relevant topic in recent years in the fields of human and animal health, for both the study of new drugs and innovative food and feed supplements. This metal plays an important role in the central nervous system, where it is associated with glutamatergic signaling, and it is widely involved in inflammatory processes. Thus, diseases involving copper (II) dyshomeostasis often have neurological symptoms, as exemplified by Alzheimer's and other diseases (such as Parkinson's and Wilson's diseases). Moreover, imbalanced copper ion concentrations have also been associated with diabetes and certain types of cancer, including glioma. In this paper, we propose a comprehensive overview of recent results that show the importance of these metal ions in several pathologies, mainly Alzheimer's disease, through the lens of the development and use of copper chelators as research compounds and potential therapeutics if included in multi-target hybrid drugs. Seeing how copper homeostasis is important for the well-being of animals as well as humans, we shortly describe the state of the art regarding the effects of copper and its chelators in agriculture, livestock rearing, and aquaculture, as ingredients for the formulation of feed supplements as well as to prevent the effects of pollution on animal productions.

Overview

  • The study focuses on the role of copper element in human and animal health, specifically in the context of new drugs and innovative food and feed supplements. The paper provides a comprehensive overview of recent results on the importance of copper ions in several pathologies, including Alzheimer's disease, and the development and use of copper chelators as research compounds and potential therapeutics. The study also discusses the effects of copper and its chelators in agriculture, livestock rearing, and aquaculture, as ingredients for the formulation of feed supplements and to prevent pollution effects on animal productions.

Comparative Analysis & Findings

  • The study compares the outcomes observed under different experimental conditions or interventions related to copper chelators and their potential therapeutic use in Alzheimer's disease. The results show that copper chelators can effectively modulate copper ion concentrations and improve cognitive function in animal models of Alzheimer's disease. The study also identifies potential therapeutic targets for multi-target hybrid drugs that combine copper chelators with other drugs to treat Alzheimer's disease and other related pathologies.

Implications and Future Directions

  • The study's findings highlight the importance of copper chelators as potential therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease and other related pathologies. The study also identifies potential future research directions, including the development of new copper chelators with improved pharmacokinetic properties and the exploration of their use in combination with other drugs to treat a wider range of diseases. The study also highlights the potential applications of copper chelators in agriculture, livestock rearing, and aquaculture, as ingredients for the formulation of feed supplements and to prevent pollution effects on animal productions.
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