A new study identified a way to prevent cell death. This discovery paves the way for the development of treatments that slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.
The “cellular suicide” program of our body – apoptosis – It is regulated by interactions between members of the protein family B Cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2).
Some of these proteins promote cellular survival, while other trigger cell death.
Scientists are able to take advantage of some of the death -in -fact properties of these proteins to treat certain types of blood cancer.
Now, a study last week, in Science Advancesdiscovered how to do the opposite: Block Cell Death Aiming at one of these proteins, paving the way for treatments that prevent the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease.
“Currently, there are no treatments that prevent the death of neurons to slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease. Any medicine that can do this can be revolutionary,” he explained Grant Dewsonstudy co -author, to.
As the same magazine explains, the researchers analyzed 106,572 compounds and identified one that targeted a cell -destroying protein BAX.
“We got excited to find a small molecule that targets a killer protein called Bax and prevents it from working“He said, in turn, Guillaume Lesseneanother of the authors of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (Wehi) in Melbourne, Australia.
“Although it is not the case in most cells, in neurons, disable only the bax may be sufficient to limit cell death“He added.
The investigators then observed that the small molecule they identified – to which they named Wehi-3773-Inhibits Bax’s ability to destroy the mitochondria of the cells, preventing their death.
“For the first time, we managed to keep Bax away from mitochondria and keep cells living using this molecule. This can pave the way for the next generation of cell death inhibitors to combat degenerative diseases“Said the investigation leader Kaiming Li.
