University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

University of Witwatersrand

Marc Saul Weinberg

Melvyn Little

Uwe Reusch

Stefan Knackmuss

Stefan Franz Thomas Weiss

Katarina Jovanovic

Danielle Gonsavles

Bianca Da Costa Dias

Patrick Arbuthnot

Marie Emma Christine Rey

Johan Harmse

Sarah Helen Taylor

Victoria Mary Longshaw

Abdullah Ely

Arbuthnot Patrick

Tanusha Naidoo

The invention relates to a method of modulating concentration of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) relevant proteins amyloid precursor protein (APP), beta (&#x3b2;) and gamma (&#x3b3;) secretases and amyloid beta peptide (A&#x3b2;), and also relates to a method of reducing A&#x3b2; shedding. Furthermore, this invention extends to a compound for use in the treatment of AD, and also to a method of treating AD.

Compounds for use in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

A DNA polynucleotide is described herein having a modified sequence of a target gene, wherein any one type of nucleotide in the target gene sequence has been chemically modified to another type of nucleotide; and a complementary sequence of the unmodified target gene; wherein either one of the modified sequence or the complementary sequence is in a reverse orientation to the other sequence; and wherein the RNA sequence transcribed from the DNA polynucleotide forms a duplex between the modified sequence and the complementary sequence so that a long double stranded RNA (IdsRNA) duplex forms between the modified and complementary sequences with base pair mismatches where the nucleotides have been modified, the IdsRNA duplex being capable of inhibiting expression of the target gene. RNA polynucleotides and IdsRNA duplexes transcribed by the DNA polynucleotide are also described, as is a method for producing the IdsRNA duplexes. These IdsRNA duplexes can be used in gene silencing.

Use of double stranded RNA hairpin duplexes in gene silencing

Growing community of inventors

Midrand, South Africa

Marc Saul Weinberg