Treating neural disease with tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Abstract

Provided herein are methods of treating or preventing a neurodegenerative disease, a myodegenerative disease or a prion disease in a subject comprising administering a tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating Lewy Body disease in a subject in need thereof, comprising: selecting a subject with Lewy Body disease or at risk for Lewy Body disease; and administering to the subject an effective amount of a tyrosine kinase inhibitor or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the tyrosine kinase inhibitor is not Gleevec, and wherein the tyrosine kinase inhibitor or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof crosses the blood brain barrier. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tyrosine kinase inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of nilotinib or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, bosutinib or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the effective amount of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is less than about 10 mg/kg. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tyrosine kinase inhibitor or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is administered daily. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising administering a second therapeutic agent to the subject. 
     
     
         6 . A method of inhibiting or preventing toxic protein aggregation in a neuron of a subject with Lewy Body disease, comprising contacting the neuron in the subject with an effective amount of a tyrosine kinase inhibitor or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the tyrosine kinase inhibitor is not Gleevec, and wherein the tyrosine kinase inhibitor or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof crosses the blood brain barrier. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the tyrosine kinase inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of nilotinib or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, bosutinib or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the protein is selected from the group consisting of alpha-synuclein and insoluble Parkin. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the effective amount of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is less than about 10 mg/kg.