• Lead Drug FGL Found To Prevent Impaired Cognition
• R&D Update, Publication & Conference Presentation
• CHDI selects ENKAM’s compounds for preclinical tes
• Presentation at BIO-Europe
• Attendance at Conferences
• Participation at Conference
• The ENKAM approach shows potential in treatment of
• Discovery of Novel Compound Classes
• Positive Preclinical Data - Traumatic Brain Injury
• Appointment of Executive Chairman
• New Promising Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
• EU 6FP Grants EUR9.7 million to European Research
• Glossary

Glossary

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NCAM – The neural Cell Adhesion Molecule

The Neural Cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) is known for its involvement in neuronal developmental processes, and recent evidence would indicate that this molecule also participates in synaptic alterations that occur in connection with memory formation in adults. During development NCAM is known to be involved in neuronal plasticity, such as axonal extension and guidance, cell migration, differentiation of stem cells, neuronal survival and formation of synapses. In the adult nervous system, NCAM has been shown to be involved in the processes underlying learning and memory formation. Indeed mice lacking NCAM expression display cognitive deficits. In addition there is increasing evidence indicating that cell-cell or cell-substratum adhesion is important in neuronal survival and indeed NCAM has been shown to promote neuronal survival.NCAM is ubiquitous in its distribution in the nervous system and is expressed on the surface of both neurons and glial cells, thus NCAM mimetics have the potential to affect multiple cell populations in the nervous system.

NCAM is a ligand to itself, i.e., NCAM molecules expressed on one cell will bind to NCAM molecules on an opposing cell. Further, NCAM is also involved in heterophilic interactions with other molecules, one of them being the Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR).

NCAM Derived Peptides

Based on knowledge obtained using basic structural proteomic tools (NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, surface plasmon resonance analysis) and by means of combinatorial chemistry we design peptides that mimic some specific NCAM ways of binding. Each of these peptides has a very specific biological profile and modulates in a unique way cell adhesion, neuronal differentiation and survival, and synaptic function.

Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) receptor

The FGFs are a family of growth factors having as main tartet the fibroblasts (main cell type in connective tissue) within the body. Most cells within the central and peripheral nervous system and other organs possess receptors for FGFs and are therefore susceptible to their biological effect. There are at least 23 distinct members of the FGF family, which interact with at least 5 distinct subtypes of cell-surface receptors, the FGF receptors. It is evident that FGFs are essential for optimal body function, and disruption of FGF can leads to disease states.