Nikita - Perhaps you could help me more fully understand the mechanism of section of AIT-082 (leteprinim; here's a summary abstract ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10845757&dopt=Abstract). AIT-082 is a purine derivative* that appears to enhance growth factor production in the CNS...while having the significant benefit of crossing the BBB by a non-saturable influx mechanism.
AIT-082 has also been around since (at least) 1994 so I'm curious why there hasn't been more interest in it (unless NEOT has strict exclusivity). Also, surely other related purine derivatives, especially guanosine- and GTP-related, would have similar effects on astrocyte derived FGF, NGF, NT-3, etc. production
There's also my long standing concern that the presence of significantly elevated levels of GFs in the CNS may lead to ectopic axonal sprouting unrelated to and/or far in excess of that required for amelioration of the pathology-derived damage. In short, do the benefits really outweigh the risks? I guess my other question/concern is this - is a 'simple' yet ubiquitous (the parent purine is certainly common) compound really 'specific' for astrocyte-derived GF production or are there other, more subtle, effects that will only surface with more extended use?
The fact that there are only 8 papers found by PubMed for 'AIT-082' suggests that AD, PD, etc. remain as stubbornly elusive to straightforward approaches as ever.
*AIT-082 = 4-[[3-(1,6-dihydro-6-oxo-9-purin-9-yl)-1- oxopropyl]amino]benzoic acid |
