ATTENTION! You are visiting a site that will soon be out of order. We invite you to the new pan.pl website instead.

Epilepsy: how to prevent protein degradation

Padaczka powstrzymać trawienie białek

www.freepik.com

Research conducted at PAS Institute of Experimental Biology raises hopes for effective treatment of epilepsy. Scientists analyze the ability of MMP-9 inhibitors to prevent enzymes from breaking down the protein which connects neurons. The substances which can cross the blood-brain barrier and best inhibit the disease will be tested as potential therapeutics.

Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) belongs to enzymes that affect their environment. The protein modified by MMP-9 can no longer fulfil its function in the cell properly. A team led by Prof. Leszek Kaczmarek succeeded in proving the key role of MMP-9 in epileptogenesis – the development of epilepsy in humans and animals.

Dr. Emilia Rejmak-Kozicka, member of the research team, emphasizes the assets of MMP-9, including its enzymatic and extracellular features.

Epilepsy is one of the most widespread neurological diseases with roughly 60 million people diagnosed worldwide and ca. 400,000 patients in Poland suffering from repetitive seizures. This long-term disorder requires prolonged treatment, and still up to 40% of patients do not respond to therapy. Epilepsy has grave social consequences, which is why scientists attempt to understand its genesis and seek for new forms of treatment. Its diversity stems from both neurodevelopmental irregularities and events occurring in adulthood, and each case must be treated accordingly to the individual history of the patient.

Within the frames of applied research funded by the National Centre for Research and Development in Poland, Prof. Kaczmarek’s team in cooperation with OncoArendi Therapeutics company will analyze MMP-9 with regard to epilepsy treatment. Those inhibitors were investigated in cancer treatment, but there is a large group of substances that have not been analyzed in the context of epileptogenesis. Dr. Kozicka underlines that the tests planned may be the way to help patients who do not respond to existing therapies.

 

 

© PAP – Nauka w Polsce, Karolina Duszczyk/ mrt/
Źródło: www.naukawpolsce.pap.pl