Antagonism of cysteinyl leukotrienes and their receptors as a neuroinflammatory target in Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease is a complex multifaceted neurodegenerative disorder. It is characterized by the deposition of extracellular amyloid senile plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles leading to progressive dementia and death in aged adult population. Recent emerging research has highlighted a potential pharmacological role of 5-lipoxyenase-cysteinyl leukotriene pathway in molecular pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Although cysteinyl leukotrienes and their receptors have a major clinical role in chronic respiratory inflammation, their roles in chronic neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease need a detailed and careful exploration. This review article highlights a novel role of cysteinyl leukotrienes and their receptors in pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease in order to understand the underlying molecular mechanism. In addition, it summarizes the recent advances in various pre-clinical and clinical strategies used to modulate this pathway for therapeutic targeting of Alzheimer's disease.