The Emory‐Sage‐SGC TREAT‐AD Center: Tool development for novel targets in Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases affecting over 55 million people worldwide. Over the last 20 years, AD research has focused on a limited number of potential drug targets. Given the demonstrated heterogeneity of the disease in biological and genetic components, there is a need to evaluate a broad range of therapeutic hypotheses for target prioritization and development. The Emory‐Sage‐SGC TREAT‐AD Center is generating and openly distributing validated experimental tools necessary to test target predictions generated through sequence‐based characterization of human disease state. We believe that these tools and reagents, including chemical and biological probes that target the multifaceted dysregulation in the brains of AD patients will advance the discovery of potential drug targets for AD.MethodOur Center uses integrated computational approaches to identify target predictions from a set of prioritized therapeutic hypotheses. The current target portfolio was assembled by evaluating prioritized understudied proteins by the Accelerating Medicines Partnership in AD (AMP‐AD) consortium and additional NIA‐supported AD consortia. Nominated targets were evaluated by calculating an unbiased target risk score, literature score, and druggability. Targets are then mapped to 16 biological domains (BDs) that describe and codify the different processes that are dysregulated in AD and prioritized based on multiple lines of evidence for overall AD‐risk. Targets that meet criteria for development are evaluated to identify a set of experimental reagents necessary for hypothesis testing, termed a “target enablement package (TEP).ResultWe have prioritized more than 30 understudied targets for TEP development. For each understudied target, a TEP includes expression constructs, purified protein and methods, validated knockout cell lines, and antibody validation. All reagents are developed to meet established quality criteria. For a subset of tractable targets additional TEP components include assay development, crystal structures, screening, and probe development. Advanced targets include SYK, DDX1, SFRP1, SDC4, ARHGEF2, and CAPN2. TREAT‐AD investigators place all data, knowledge, reagents, and tools into the open domain with no intellectual property claims.ConclusionAll data, protocols, reagent sets, and chemical tools will be made widely available on the AD Knowledge Portal. For more information see www.treatad.org.