A Genetic Lottery - a Column by Becky Field

Embryonic stem cells have been seen as a potential therapeutic strategy for several diseases. However, the manipulation of these cells has been a challenge for scientists due to their complex regulatory systems. In a study published in Nature Communications a team led by researchers at the Cologne Cluster…

A poorly active enzyme called aconitase 2 (Aco2), found at low levels in cells, can be a marker of the mitochondrial dysfunction linked to Huntington’s disease and its progression, an early study reports. The study, “Altered Aconitase 2 Activity in Huntington’s Disease Peripheral Blood Cells and Mouse…

Taube Philanthropies, a charitable organization from the San Francisco Bay Area, in California, recently donated $750,000 to the Buck Institute for Research on Aging to support a research consortium working on Huntington’s disease. Lisa Ellerby, PhD, is leading the consortium in collaboration with the Taube Neurodegenerative Disease Stem…

Researchers have found that rilmenidine, a blood pressure medicine, was relatively safe and well-tolerated by Huntington’s disease (HD) patients in a small study. However, its effectiveness in treating the disease remains unknown and warrants further investigation. The study, “An open-label study to assess the feasibility and tolerability of rilmenidine for…

The Hereditary Disease Foundation (HDF) raised $900,000 to fund research into Huntington’s disease and other brain disorders during its Nov. 6 “Celebration of 50 Years of Discovery” symposium and gala at New York’s Metropolitan Club. The event included a scientific symposium and a dinner and award ceremony, where winners…

A protein responsible for protecting nerve cells can become embedded in other substances in the brains of  Huntington’s patients, preventing it from performing its neuroprotective work, Spanish researchers report. Another important finding was that the areas where the ATF5 protein are embedded also contain clusters of the faulty huntingtin protein…

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently notified Mitochon Pharmaceuticals of its allowance on the first patent that the company says will help it proceed with the continued clinical development of MP101 as a treatment for Huntington’s disease (HD) and others. MP101 is one of…

The Huntington Society of Canada (HSC) and Ottawa-based social media company Shared have jointly launched the “One Extra Push” campaign to raise awareness about Huntington’s disease (HD) in Canada. Shared took up the challenge in honor of Amanda Munro, one of its employees, whose mother has HD. One Extra…

Researchers have identified an elaborate protein quality control system that prevents toxic accumulation of faulty proteins inside mitochondria, a phenomenon that underlies many neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington’s disease. The study, ”Cytosolic Protein Vms1 Links Ribosome Quality Control to Mitochondrial and Cellular Homeostasis,” was published in the journal Cell.

As therapeutics for Huntington’s disease (HD) are still a need, a number of natural compounds may hold promising beneficial effects, a review study shows. The review “The Medicinal Chemistry of Natural and Semi-Synthetic Compounds Against Parkinson’s and Huntington’s Diseases” was published in the journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience. As…