Oxidative Stress: 1,5‐Diazacyclooctanes, as Exclusive Oxidative Polyamine Metabolites, Inhibit Amyloid‐β(1‐40) Fibrillization (Adv. Sci. 10/2016)

The level of expression of polyamines and a highly reactive and toxic acrolein, has been linked to the progression of certain neurodenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. But now the story has become more complex. Katsunori Tanaka and co-workers discover that 1,5-diazacyclooctanes constitute a previously unrecognized but exclusive and biologically relevant class of products formed by the polyamines and acrolein through a formal [4+4] cycloaddition reaction, in article 1600082. When combined in this way, these products regulate various biological functions, such as inhibiting Aβ40 fibrillation—a key pathological process in Alzheimer's disease—and significantly reducing cell cytotoxicity. These results suggest that polyamine/acrolein conjugates are involved in the neutralization and modulation of neuro-degeneration process, and thus that polyamines and acroleins may have both harmful and beneficial effects in the body.