Multiple sclerosis in 10 years, it may be possible to cure
Multiple sclerosis was recognized as curable
Alexey Tymoshenko, GZT.ru
A cure for multiple sclerosis will be developed within 10 years. This statement was made by scientists from the University of Bristol (UK) – they managed to establish that the protein galanin prevents the development of the disease.
Multiple sclerosis, in which nerve fibers in the brain are affected, refers to chronic and slowly progressive diseases. It is relatively rare (one disease per thousand people) and develops more often in people aged about 30 years.
Galanin
The protein that attracted the attention of researchers, galanin, was known earlier. It is more correct to call it not even a protein (galanin is formed by a chain of only 30 amino acids), but a peptide – a relatively small molecule by the standards of real proteins.
Neuroscientists know a lot of peptides that are active in the brain and nervous system. The first reason for a closer study of galanin was that it is synthesized in large quantities when nerve fibers are damaged.
"When I found out that galanin is synthesized in Alzheimer's disease," says David Vainik, professor at the University of Bristol, "I decided, together with colleagues David Wright and Neil Skolding, to investigate the role of this peptide in the development of multiple sclerosis." According to a university press release, several lines of genetically modified mice were created specifically for a series of experiments, whose nerve cells produced different amounts of galanine.
Mice
It is not the first time that transgenic mice have come to the aid of scientists. Since it is quite difficult to investigate the role of a particular protein or peptide (it can have different effects in different tissues and in different situations), biologists or doctors breed a mouse that either cannot synthesize the substance under study at all, or, on the contrary, produces it in abnormally large quantities.
And, having received data on the role of a protein or a peptide, you can move on. Scientists from Bristol modified not just ordinary laboratory rodents, but mutants already obtained earlier by other researchers, prone to the development of multiple sclerosis. Thus, the genome of the animals was modified twice, first to cause the disease, and then to find out exactly how it could be stopped.
Experiment
Mice that practically did not synthesize galanine in their nerve cells showed all the signs of multiple sclerosis. And even in a more severe form than in the original mutants with a predisposition to sclerosis, but a normal level of galanine. But those who produced more galanin, on the contrary, were in better condition, and, according to David Wright, they did not show signs of illness.
Practice
Despite the fact that the researchers consider their discovery extremely important, capable of leading to the emergence of effective drugs for multiple sclerosis. waiting for the first clinical trials and especially the appearance of drugs in pharmacies should not be soon. According to scientists, the path from the discovery to the sale of drugs will take at least 10 years.Nevertheless, the company NeuroTargets, co-owned by one of the authors of the study, David Vainik, has already claimed the rights to commercial use of the results of the study.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru25.08.2009