Another potential mechanism considered for anti-PrPSc activity was the anti-pestivirus activity. To determine if the anti-PrPSc effects were related to the anti-pestiviral effects, the concentration dependencies of anti-PrPSc and anti-pestivirus were compared in Rov9 cells. Since the purpose of this paper was not to re-describe the anti-pestiviral activity of DB772, the anti-pestivirus TCEC50 and TCEC99 were not fully determined for these culture models. Instead, a single experiment was used to define the range of anti-pestivirus activity and follow-up experiments confirmed maximum anti-pestivirus activity at a concentration significantly different than the anti-PrPSc TCEC50. Regarding DB772, its nuclear uptake is impaired relative to many other furamidine analogues but little else is known about its activity. It is thus difficult at this time to speculate about any intracellular mechanism of anti-PrPSc activity of DB772. Fortunately, due to the anti-protozoal potential of these compounds, a library of related compounds already exists. Additionally, due to the anti-pestivirus activity, in vivo work on the anti-pestiviral efficacy and pharmacokinetics has been initiated in cattle. Structure-activity relationship studies are ongoing with the aims of identifying more selective anti-prion molecules, elucidating the mechanisms of action, and determining if the antiprion activity is therapeutically or mechanistically relevant. Neurons have extensive processes and asymmetrical organization. The communication between the cell body and the nerve terminal is critical for neuronal functions, which involves microtubule based axonal transport. MTs are dynamically assembled polymers of a- and b-tubulin. Tubulin undergoes various post-translational modifications, including acetylation, tyrosination, and phosphorylation. PTMs of tubulin regulate not only the interaction between MTs and MT-associated proteins, but also the stability of the microtubule, contributing to controlling axon guidance, synapse formation, and neuronal transport. Acetylation of a-tubulin plays a positive role in axonal transport in mammals by increasing microtubule stability. Histone deacetylase 6 is a unique cytosolic enzyme that mediates the deacetylation of atubulin, which involves two functional deacetylase domains and a zinc finger motif. The level of GR 159897 acetylated a-tubulin is decreased as the level of HDAC6 is increased in the AD patients�� brains. Since impaired axonal transport is an important pathophysiological factor in AD, HDAC6 may play a role in the disruption of axonal transport in AD pathogenesis. Amyloid beta, the cleavage product from amyloid precursor protein, is one of the causative factors of AD pathogenesis. Ab interrupts vesicular and axonal transport by inducing alteration in microtubule stability and intracellular GSK 4112 signaling pathways. Ab also causes synaptic degeneration and loss through the disruption of axonal transport, which leads to impaired trafficking of the mitochondria and neurotransmitters necessary for synaptic function and neuronal viability.