Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease are the two most common neurodegenerative disorders worldwide and cause untold suffering to millions of patients and their families. Treatments for these diseases are limited, and no cures exist. Now, a new study describes an innovative strategy that reverses symptoms in these neurodegenerative diseases - at least in fruit flies which had been genetically altered to model the diseases.
The researchers focused on metabolites related to the amino acid tryptophan. When tryptophan degrades in the body, it breaks down into several compounds that have biological activities in the nervous system. One of these, 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK), has neurotoxic properties whereas another, named kynurenic acid (KYNA), has the ability to prevent nerve cell degeneration. The relative abundance of these two compounds in the brain may be critical in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, and also Huntington's disease.
Researchers gave the insects a chemical that selectively inhibits tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase (TDO), an enzyme that controls the relationship between 3-HK and KYNA. This treatment shifted metabolism towards more KYNA, improved movement, and lengthened lifespan in the fly models of the diseases.
"A key finding of our study is that we can improve "symptoms" in fruit fly models of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease by feeding them a drug-like chemical," said co-author. "Our experiments have identified TDO as a very promising new drug target."
The next steps will involve testing of the new concept in humans and to examine whether the treatment works for neurodegenerative diseases. The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Latest News
A new autoinflammatory dise…
By newseditor
Posted 30 Mar
Molecular process involving…
By newseditor
Posted 30 Mar
Synthetic gene drives as an…
By newseditor
Posted 30 Mar
Two subtypes of insulin-pro…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Mar
Virtual reality-based real-…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Mar
Other Top Stories
How hyaluronic acid shape the organs
Read more
How do our organs know when to stop growing?
Read more
New mechanism for protecting DNA identified!
Read more
An unexpected attraction of nucleic acids and fat
Read more
Association governs sequence specificity DNA binding
Read more
Protocols
A quantitative fluorescence…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Mar
High-efficiency pharmacogen…
By newseditor
Posted 11 Mar
A combinatorial panel for f…
By newseditor
Posted 03 Mar
Deconstructing body axis mo…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Feb
Transcription factor bindin…
By newseditor
Posted 21 Feb
Publications
Constitutively active Lyn k…
By newseditor
Posted 30 Mar
Brain p3-Alcb peptide resto…
By newseditor
Posted 30 Mar
Molecular process involving…
By newseditor
Posted 30 Mar
Arrestin-dependent nuclear…
By newseditor
Posted 30 Mar
β2ARs: double edge sword in…
By newseditor
Posted 30 Mar
Presentations
Hydrogels in Drug Delivery
By newseditor
Posted 12 Apr
Lipids
By newseditor
Posted 31 Dec
Cell biology of carbohydrat…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Nov
RNA interference (RNAi)
By newseditor
Posted 23 Oct
RNA structure and functions
By newseditor
Posted 19 Oct
Posters
ASCO-2020-HEALTH SERVICES R…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-HEAD AND NECK CANCER
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CAN…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CAN…
By newseditor
Posted 10 Mar
ASCO-2020-GYNECOLOGIC CANCER
By newseditor
Posted 10 Mar