Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center researchers have identified a molecule that might have protective effects against neuronal damage caused by mutant huntingtin, and constitute a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of Huntington’s disease. The study, “Mitochondrial division inhibitor 1 protects against mutant huntingtin-induced abnormal mitochondrial dynamics, synaptic dysfunction…
Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry researchers have shown that the intracellular location of protein aggregates, long suspected to be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases like Huntington’s, is extremely important to the survival of nerve cells. While location in the nucleus has little influence on cellular function, protein deposits in the…
Scientists have identified a proteomic pathway, involving the proteins Homer-3 and mTORC1, that is involved in the degeneration of Purkinje cells, a pathogenesis central to Huntington’s disease. The research paper, “Impaired mTORC1-Dependent Expression of Homer-3 Influences SCA1 Pathophysiology,” was published in Neuron. Purkinje cells (PCs) are the principal neurons…
Researchers from the University of Nottingham have discovered that a small molecule called nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) has a degenerative effect on axons, the thread-like projections involved in neuronal communication. Their study, titled “Wallerian Degeneration Is Executed by an NMN-SARM1-Dependent Late Ca2+ Influx but Only Modestly Influenced by Mitochondria,” was published in…
Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp. has announced the efficacy and safety results from CYST-HD, a Phase 2/3 clinical trial conducted in collaboration with the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d’Angers, evaluating the potential of RP103 as a Huntington’s disease therapy. RP103 is an extended release oral drug candidate currently in clinical development for the treatment of…
A compound tested as a diabetes treatment, KD3010, has shown potential in preclinical tests to reduce Huntington’s disease progression, decrease overall neurodegeneration, and improve motor function. The mouse model study conducted by University of California researchers, “PPAR-δ is repressed in Huntington’s disease, is required for normal neuronal function and can be targeted…
University of Buffalo researchers have discovered that Huntingtin protein (Htt) is involved in the transport of Rab proteins, which are essential for normal cell function, a discovery that might lead to a greater understanding of the mechanisms behind Huntington’s disease. The research paper entitled “Huntingtin differentially regulates the axonal transport of a sub-set…
In a new study titled “Ethosuximide ameliorates neurodegenerative disease phenotypes by modulating DAF-16/FOXO target gene expression”, published in Molecular Neurodegeneration, researchers have discovered that ethosuximide, a commonly prescribed anti-epileptic drug, has protective and potential therapeutic effects for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s. To investigate the…
Get regular updates to your inbox.