Vitamin B6 plays a crucial role in brain metabolism, with low levels of this vitamin being associated with various mental illnesses such as impaired memory, learning abilities, depression, and dementia in older individuals. However, the exact role of vitamin B6 in mental disorders is still not fully understood, and simply increasing intake through dietary supplements may not be sufficient to prevent or treat brain function disorders. A research team from Würzburg University Medicine has now discovered a new approach to effectively increase intracellular vitamin B6 levels by inhibiting its degradation.
Published in the scientific journal eLife, the research team, led by Professor Antje Gohla, found that inhibiting the vitamin B6-degrading enzyme pyridoxal phosphatase in mice improved spatial learning and memory capacity. By identifying a natural substance, 7,8-Dihydroxyflavone, that can inhibit pyridoxal phosphatase and slow down vitamin B6 degradation, the researchers were able to increase vitamin B6 levels in nerve cells involved in learning and memory processes. This discovery opens up new possibilities for drug therapy for mental disorders and represents a promising new approach for treatment.
7,8-Dihydroxyflavone has previously been studied for its ability to improve learning and memory processes in disease models for mental disorders, but its effect as an inhibitor of pyridoxal phosphatase is a novel finding. This new knowledge provides insights into the mechanisms of mental disorders and suggests that a combination of vitamin B6 and pyridoxal phosphatase inhibitors could be beneficial for various brain disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. The identification of 7,8-Dihydroxyflavone as an inhibitor of this enzyme is significant, as these enzymes are notoriously difficult for drug development.
Although it is still early to determine when this discovery will benefit patients, the research team aims to develop improved substances that can better inhibit pyridoxal phosphatase to increase cellular vitamin B6 levels effectively. By using inhibitors of this enzyme in conjunction with vitamin B6, researchers hope to test whether this approach is helpful in treating mental and neurodegenerative diseases. This new avenue of research could lead to improved treatments for brain disorders, providing hope for individuals suffering from these conditions.
