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A glimmer of hope in the struggle against neurodegenerative diseases: the virtues of proteins that can save dying neurons
January 25, 2002Diseases characterized by neurodegeneration affect individuals over 50 years of age and they attack one particular class of neurons in the brain or spinal cord. The research interest of Professor Ann Kato and her team is principally focalized on ALS in which there is a progressive paralysis caused by the destruction of motor neurons which exist in both the brain and spinal cord. These cells are responsible for the movements of the upper and lower limbs and their elimination causes muscular atrophy and finally death.
During the last 3 years, the objectives of the experiments of Professor Kato consist in trying to understand why these neurons die and to study the intracellular and molecular pathways which can prevent their degeneration. It was during the course of their experiments to attempt to prolong the survival of the cells that the group of Professor Kato found that a newly discovered family of proteins called Inhibitors of Apoptosis Proteins (IAP's) were capable of preventing the death of motor neurons. The results of these experiments show that if these particular proteins can be increased inside motor neurons, then it is possible to prevent their degeneration. This discovery opens the way for promising new therapeutic perspectives in both gene therapy for diseases of neuronal degeneration and also in the field of classical pharmacology which concerns the search for new small molecular weight substances which can increase the production of IAP family members or substances which can play the same role as the IAP's in the brain and spinal cord.
We hope that this discovery will not only encourage but also accelerate clinical and genetic research in this disease but also in other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. This work represents another small step in the continuing search for efficient therapeutic agents.
Genîve, Université de
Neurons News and Current Neurons Events RSSKiller carbs -- Monash scientist finds the key to overeating as we age
A Monash University scientist has discovered key appetite control cells in the human brain degenerate over time, causing increased hunger and potentially weight-gain as we grow older.
1 sleepless night increases dopamine in the human brain
Just one night without sleep can increase the amount of the chemical dopamine in the human brain, according to new imaging research in the August 20 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.
UC Riverside researcher develops novel method to grow human embryonic stem cells
The majority of researchers working with human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) - cells which produce any type of specialized adult cells in the human body - use animal-based materials for culturing the cells. But because these materials are animal-based, they could transmit viruses and other pathogens to the hESCs, making the cells unsuitable for medical use.
Chronic lead poisoning from urban soils
Chronic lead poisoning, caused in part by the ingestion of contaminated dirt, affects hundreds of thousands more children in the United States than the acute lead poisoning associated with imported toys or jewelry. Could treating contaminated soil with water prevent this public health scourge?
Groundbreaking research shows DEET's not sweet to mosquitoes
Spray yourself with a DEET-based insect repellent and the mosquitoes will leave you alone. But why? They flee because of their intense dislike for the smell of the chemical repellent and not because DEET jams their sense of smell, report researchers at the University of California, Davis.
Largest study of its kind implicates gene abnormalities in bipolar disorder
The largest genetic analysis of its kind to date for bipolar disorder has implicated machinery involved in the balance of sodium and calcium in brain cells.
Lessons from yeast: A possible cure for Parkinson's disease?
Parkinson disease (PD) is a debilitating and lethal neurodegenerative disease, for which there is currently no cure. It is caused by the progressive loss of nerve cells that produce the chemical dopamine and is characterized by the accumulation of abnormal aggregates of a protein called alpha-syn in these dopaminergic nerve cells.
Penn study finds way to prevent protein clumping characteristic of Parkinson's disease
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have identified a protein from a most unlikely source -- baker's yeast -- that might protect against Parkinson's disease.
Cocaine-induced synaptic plasticity linked to persistent addictive behaviors
The persistent nature of addiction is its most devastating feature. Understanding the mechanism underlying this phenomenon is the key for designing efficient therapy. Two separate studies published by Cell Press is the August 14 issue of the journal Neuron identify specific cocaine-induced changes in dopamine (DA) neurons that play a pivotal role in behaviors associated with drug addiction.
Sensitivity to antidepressants linked with TrkB-mediated neural proliferation
Scientists have unveiled a functional link between production of new neurons and the effectiveness of antidepressants (ADs) in an animal model. The study, published by Cell Press in the August 14 issue of the journal Neuron, provides exciting insight into a mechanism that might underlie a poor response to antidepressive medications for anxiety or depression.
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