Dr. Pahan and colleagues from Rush, along with researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, and Yale University, New Haven, have successfully used a peptide to reverse biochemical, cellular and anatomical changes in mice with Parkinson's Disease and have had success in preventing the disease from progressing.
Pahan explained that after intraperitoneal injection (injection into the abdomen of the mouse) this peptide enters into the brain and blocks protein NF-kB and other associated toxic molecules, and goes on to protect neurons, normalize neurotransmitter levels, and improve motor functions in mice with PD. Peptides, proteins and certain drugs usually do not enter into the brain after crossing the blood-brain barrier. Therefore, at present, peptides, proteins or genes are injected into the brain, which is risky and painful. “To overcome this problem, we have added a tag in front of that peptide that is helping the peptide enter into the brain. Therefore, there is no need to inject these peptides into the brain. This is an important discovery.
Understanding how the disease works is important to developing effective drugs that protect the brain and stop the progression of PD,” Pahan said. “Now we need to translate this finding to the clinic and test this peptide in patients with PD. If these results can be replicated in PD patients, it would be a remarkable advance in the treatment of this devastating neurodegenerative disease.”
Approximately 1.2 million Americans and Canadians suffer from Parkinson's, a a chronic, progressive and degenerative disease of the central nervous system that affects motor skills and speech.. The study was supported by grants from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research and the National Institutes of Health.
[Source: Rush University]
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