An Italian scientist has discovered
what may be a molecular "switch" that could interrupt the
progression of degenerative nerve diseases such as Parkinson's
and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), sources said Monday.
A Trento University team led by biologist Maria Pennuto
discovered that a rare form of spinal muscular atrophy caused by
a mutation on the X chromosome was triggered by an alteration of
the androgen receptors, making them overly active.
Pennuto's team was able to "switch off" the overly active
receptors in sick fruit flies, and this slowed down their
degenerative disease.
"Similar switches are present in other proteins associated
with other degenerative nerve diseases such as Parkinson's, ALS,
Huntington's disease and autosomal dominant spinocerebellar
ataxia (SCA1)," said Pennuto.
"If further research confirms our intuition on the other
diseases, we could be on the way to developing new molecular
treatments".
The results have been published in Neuron journal.
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