In Alzheimer's disease, microglia are activated in the brain, using inflammation to clear toxic protein plaques from the tissue. A critical situation arises when this process drags on and inflammation leads to neuronal dysfunction and death. To address this issue, scientists began developing a spray that targets microglia and modulate their function. The findings were published on the University of Texas website.
The spray consisted of extracellular vesicles derived from stem cells. Experiments in laboratory animal models showed that delivery of extracellular vesicles through the airways significantly altered microglial gene expression and reduced levels of proinflammatory proteins. Crucially, the treatment did not impair the cells' ability to perform their primary function—clearing protein aggregates from brain tissue.
It's too early to talk about treatment prospects, but the authors expect the therapy to halt the progression of Alzheimer's disease for 10-15 years after diagnosis. Further research should confirm this hypothesis.
Previously, other scientists reported the development of a spray-based vaccine to protect against urinary tract infections. It provides prevention of infections for several years, as well as preventing relapses and severe forms of the disease.
