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mamaoftwo

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Protein might lead to new ALS treatment

Published: Dec. 3, 2007 at 3:38 PM
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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Dec. 3 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists have shown, for the first time, injections of a protein found in human cells can delay the onset of symptoms of Lou Gehrig's disease.

Researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine determined such injections also increased the lifespan of mice with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease or ALS.

The scientists said treatments of recombinant heat shock protein 70, known as Hsp70, increased total lifespan by 10 percent -- significantly more than the drug Riluzole, the only ALS treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

But the researchers cautioned that while their findings suggest a new treatment approach for ALS, they are not ready for studies in humans.

"This is another piece in the puzzle of what causes ALS and how to best treat it," said David Gifondorwa the study's lead author. "It's possible that one day a treatment based on this finding could be part of a 'cocktail' for attacking the disease from different fronts."

ALS is a disease that causes death of motor neurons, the nerve cells that control muscles.

The study is detailed in the Journal of Neuroscience.

© 2007 United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
 
Thanks for the update, Mama. It seems like we are a ways off to a cure but getting closer.
 
You know we have seen more breakthroughs recently than in all the years since Lou died. We have at least some light breaking through.
 
amino acids

Has anyone heard about amino acids and the slowing of ALS. I know of someones mother who took them and lived 25 years with Als I am thinkng what the heck there are no real side effect and some people feel more energ in 2 weeks Ill tell you after I shovel my way out of the snow and get to a health store.:mrgreen:pat
 
The herb schisandra stimulates HSP70. So does the drug Arimoclomol.
 
HSP70 and the NMJ

if i understand this sci am article http://tinyurl.com/ys8kom correctly, those researchers at WFU think HSP70 might be fixing a problem at the neuromuscular junction.

"By keeping [muscle and nerve] cells talking to each other, you keep both cells healthy," says study co-author Carol Milligan, an assistant professor of neurobiology at W.F.U. Medical Center. "That keeps the motor neurons healthier longer." She notes that most existing and developing ALS therapies target cell bodies as opposed to the neuromuscular junction.

...

"When we injected the protein, it tended to work more peripherally at the neuromuscular junction, and perhaps that is the difference," Milligan says. "We were assuming that it would go into the spinal cord and have an effect on the motor neuron cell body. … It suggests optimal treatment should be looking both at the periphery and at the spinal cord."
 
This is why the Arimoclomol Trials .It helps HSP70 survive . Geo
 
Arimoclomol is a coinducer of HSP70. Not that I'm knocking it but I still haven't heard why the FDA pull permission for the trial. I'm also not saying that lithium even works but lithium induces HSP70. I won't post the links again but you can see them in post #15 here: https://www.alsforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4648
 
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