Treatment with a Copper-Zinc Chelator Markedly and Rapidly Inhibits β-Amyloid Accumulation in Alzheimer's Disease Transgenic Mice

Inhibition of neocortical β-amyloid (Aβ) accumulation may be essential in an effective therapeutic intervention for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cu and Zn are enriched in Aβ deposits in AD, which are solubilized by Cu/Zn-selective chelators in vitro. Here we report a 49% decrease in brain Aβ deposition (−375 μg/g wet weight, p = 0.0001) in a blinded study of APP2576 transgenic mice treated orally for 9 weeks with clioquinol, an antibiotic and bioavailable Cu/Zn chelator. This was accompanied by a modest increase in soluble Aβ (1.45% of total cerebral Aβ); APP, synaptophysin, and GFAP levels were unaffected. General health and body weight parameters were significantly more stable in the treated animals. These results support targeting the interactions of Cu and Zn with Aβ as a novel therapy for the prevention and treatment of AD.