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British researchers have discovered that preventing the binding of SAP to amyloid fibrils may be a strategy for prevention of the formation of plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients, as well as in the pancreas in adult-onset diabetes and in rheumatic joints.

As published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the SAP protein, found in blood serum, binds to fibers in the plaques. A pyruvate derivative, cyclic pyruvate acetal (MOßDG) prevents SAP binding to plaques. Once SAP was dislodged by the compound in cell culture, the plaque was successfully attacked by phagocyte cells, as well as by various digesting enzymes. ...