Brain-protective agent

Abstract

A brain-protective agent containing an NF-kappaB decoy. In brain diseases, the brain can be particularly effectively protected against brain disorders (for example, cerebral vasospasm following a subrachnoidal hemorrhage and apoptosis of the nerve cells following a cerebrovasucular accident or serious head injury) caused by the undesired activation of cytokines or cell adhesion factors which are regulated by NF-kappaB by administering the brain-protective agent containing an NF-kappaB decoy, i.e., a compound antadonistic specifically to a nucleic acid to which NF-kappaB binds.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a brain-protective agent comprising an NF-.kappa.B decoy, particularly a brain-protective agent for the brain disorder associated with encephalopathy. More particularly, the invention relates to a brain-protective agent comprising an NF-.kappa.B decoy for brain disorders arising from encephalopathy and to a method of protecting the brain which comprises using a brain-protective agent comprising said decoy.[0002] The transcription factor NF-.kappa.B is considered to be related to various diseases such as ischemic, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and it is expected that administration of its decoy will be effective in the therapy and prophylaxis of such diseases (WO 96 / 35430). The transcription factor NF-.kappa.B is a heterodimeric complex of p65 and p50 proteins. This factor usually exists in the form of a complex with the inhibitor protein I.kappa.B in the cytoplasm and, as such, is prevented from migrating to the nucleus. However, when exposed...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

0005] The inventors of this invention predicted that activation of the production of cytokines and cell adhesion factors which are under regulation by NF-.kappa.B is one of the causes for triggering brain disorders associated with encephalopathy (for example, the cerebral vasospasm following a subarachnoidal hemorrhage and apoptosis of the nerve cells following a cerebrovascular accident or serious head injury) and did intensive investigations. As a result, they discovered that for protection of the brain against brain disorders associated with encephalopathy, it is especially effective to administer an NF-.kappa.B decoy, that is to say a compound specifically competing with the nucleic acids to which NF-.kappa.B binds, and ultimately developed this instant invention.

Problems solved by technology

However, as to brain disorders such as the cerebral vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage, the mechanisms of onset remain to be elucidated and no effective therapeutic modalities have been established yet.