The invention relates to the use of a pharmaceutical composition containing nicotinamide (NAM) and/or pyruvate as a neuroprotective medicament or gene therapy in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, in particular axon degeneration of neuronal tissue in ocular-related neurodegeneration diseases including glaucoma.

This disclosure provides a method of synthesis of 4′-thioribose NAD+ and analogues thereof, using an efficient chemoenzymatic approach. Also provided are methods of inhibiting the CD38 enzyme and compounds including 4′-thioribose NAD+ and compounds related thereto.

The invention discloses a genetically engineered bacterium in which the gene encoding adenine deaminase on the genome of the bacterium is knocked out or/and the gene encoding the enzyme in the NAD.sup.+ anabolic pathway is integrated on the genome of the bacterium. The invention also discloses a construction method of the above-mentioned genetically engineered bacteria. The gene encoding adenine deaminase on the genome of the host strain is knocked out to obtain a strain with high NAD.sup.+ yield. Or the expression cassettes of the gene encoding the enzyme in the NAD.sup.+ synthesis pathway are constructed separately, and then the enzyme encoding The gene expression cassette is integrated into the genome of the host strain whose gene encoding adenine deaminase is knocked out to construct a strain with high NAD.sup.+ production. The application of the above genetically engineered bacteria is disclosed. A method of producing NAD.sup.+ is disclosed.

Methods and compositions for preventing or treating peripheral neuropathy, cognitive deficits, inactivity, depression, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy and cognitive deficits, and improving cognitive performance, in a subject in need thereof are disclosed. The disclosed methods include the step of administering to the subject an effective amount of an agent that increases the level of NAD.sup.+ in the subject.

The invention relates to the use of a pharmaceutical composition containing nicotinamide (NAM) and/or pyruvate as a neuroprotective medicament or gene therapy in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, in particular axon degeneration of neuronal tissue in ocular-related neurodegeneration diseases including glaucoma.

Provided herein, in some embodiments, are methods and composition for the production of nucleoside triphosphates and ribonucleic acids.

Methods and compositions for gene therapy of retinal degeneration related to mutations in nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase 1 (NMNAT1).

Methods and compositions for preventing or treating peripheral neuropathy, cognitive deficits, inactivity, depression, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy and cognitive deficits, and improving cognitive performance, in a subject in need thereof are disclosed. The disclosed methods include the step of administering to the subject an effective amount of an agent that increases the level of NAD.sup.+ in the subject.

Provided herein, in some embodiments, are methods and composition for the production of nucleoside triphosphates and ribonucleic acids.

Methods and compositions for preventing or treating peripheral neuropathy, cognitive deficits, inactivity, depression, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy and cognitive deficits, and improving cognitive performance, in a subject in need thereof are disclosed. The disclosed methods include the step of administering to the subject an effective amount of an agent that increases the level of NAD.sup.+ in the subject.