New Protein May Slow, Perhaps Reverse Parkinson's Disease Symptoms

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Main Category: Parkinson's Disease
Also Included In: Neurology / Neuroscience;  Clinical Trials / Drug Trials
Article Date: 14 Jul 2007 - 10:00 PDT

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Scientists in Finland believe they have found a protein that can prevent the degeneration of cells that produce dopamine. In a patient with Parkinson's, these nerve cells, which produce dopamine, are destroyed.

The scientists believe this chemical may lead the way to treatment which would encourage the damaged cells to recover. Drugs today do not prevent the degeneration of nerve cells.

You can read about this study in the journal Nature.

In this study, scientists injected the protein - CDNF (dopamine neurotrophic factor) - into rats with symptoms of Parkinson's. The rats' symptoms improved; 96% of their nerve cells were protected from degeneration.

Previous studies had focused on another protein, GDNF. As GDNF raised serious safety concerns, they decided to examine CDNF, a related protein (a growth factor). CDNF was found to be better tolerated.

The researchers discovered that CDNF is specific to brain nerve cells. This is not the case with other similar growth factors.

In a further study, the researchers allowed the rats' Parkinson's to progress further. Their aim was to see whether CDNF might help repair damaged nerves. The mice were at a stage similar to a human with Parkinson's who has lost 70% of his/her ability to produce dopamine. After administering CDNF to these rats, they found that 58% of the dopamine-producing cells were alive, compared to 26% in a control group.

Dr Mart Saarma, team leader, University of Helsinki, said "Our new protein has great potential to be developed as drug for Parkinson's disease, but we need to do more animal experiments and also toxicology studies before we can start clinical trials."

"Novel neurotrophic factor CDNF protects and rescues midbrain dopamine neurons in vivo"
Päivi Lindholm1, Merja H. Voutilainen, Juha Laurén, Johan Peränen, Veli-Matti Leppänen, Jaan-Olle Andressoo, Maria Lindahl, Sanna Janhunen, Nisse Kalkkinen, Tõnis Timmusk, Raimo K. Tuominen & Mart Saarma
Nature 448, 73-77 (5 July 2007) | doi:10.1038/nature05957
Click here to view abstract/letter online

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
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