Quote:
Originally Posted by lurkingforacure
".....Degeneration of dopaminergic neurons was accompanied by progressive protein aggregate formation and functional motor deficits AND WAS PARTIALLY RESCUED BY A-SYNUCLEIN...."
This sounds to me like a-synuclein is protective rather than causative...in which case therapies, including Affiris' PD vaccine they are working on (which I understand keeps a-synuclein plaques from forming and/or busts them up?) would make things worse, not better? Tell me it isn't so.
|
Madelyn,
Please see the following link to the MJFF position paper on
alpha-synuclein
I'd add that the MJFF paper is a bit out of date. See the updated MJFF
a-synuclein summit results at PD Online Research.
I think it is pretty well established that we all have this protein in our brain and that in its normal state it is helpful. Researchers have found that the protein gathers in clumps or aggregates in the PD brain. This replication of proteins "gone bad" is a causative or result of PD; they do not know, but either way it results in the continued loss of our cells, so blocking them would theoretically halt the disease.
As for the vaccine itself, I think it holds a lot of promise and maybe to further substantiate that is the main culprit in our case, is that a major pharma here purchased exclusive rights to develop immune therapy involving a-synuclein to the sum of $427 million. That is a lot of money to throw away on something if they are not certain this is a major factor. Further, MJFFF is funding the vaccine research at U of Nebraska, and I don't think they would touch it if they thought it harmful. My concern with a vaccine is that they somehow can trigger disease onset in some people who have a genetic aberration that makes their brain more sensitive to inflammation and/our causes a faulty auto immune reaction.
Hope this helps!
Laura