title: Mitochondria as a therapeutic target in Alzheimer's disease and diabetes.
abstract: Due to the increasing number of data demonstrating a connection between diabetes and Alzheimer's disease (AD), efforts have been developed to elucidate the exact mechanism(s) underlying this connection. Although both disorders possess several overlapping features, mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the most relevant rendering mitochondria an important target of scientific research. This review discusses clinical and biochemical features shared by AD and diabetes, giving special attention to the involvement of mitochondria. The realization that mitochondria are at the intersection of cells' life and death has made them a promising target for drug discovery and therapeutic interventions. Here we also discuss in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies that examined the effect of mitochondria-directed therapeutics particularly mitochondrial target antioxidants and Szeto-Schiller peptides.
authors.affiliation: Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. catarina.n.oliveira@gmail.com
authors.forename: Paula I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Sandra M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Cláudia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Maria S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Catarina R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D028361:Mitochondrial Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008954:Models, Biological; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D007328:Insulin