Researchers from
Imperial College London, implementing
a 'systems genetic' approach to study epilepsy, have discovered a gene that they
consider to be a master regulatory gene for the disease. Epilepsy is a brain disorder marked by an
abnormal pattern of neuron activity. Individuals who have epilepsy experience
strange sensations, emotions, behavior and sometimes even convulsions, muscle
spasms, and loss of consciousness. This disease, although very common, is very
serious as it increases an individual’s mortality rate two to three times
higher compared to the general population.
Epilepsy is known to have a strong genetic
component; however, there a multiple factors involving hundreds of genes that
have been related to the risks of epilepsy. Because multiple genes contribute
to this disease, researchers have utilized 'systems genetics' to analyze several
genes affiliated with the disease, rather than just analyzing one gene. This method
has provided researchers with an insight on how these genes are coordinated in
the brain and how they play a role with the disease.
More notably, found in the brain tissues of epileptic patients, researchers have identified a gene,
known as Sestrin 3 (SESN3), that acts as a major regulator in the epileptic
gene network. They have
determined the gene to be a 'master regulatory gene' since it acts as a major
control point in the epileptic gene network. Researchers are now targeting
SESN3 to pave way a new method of treating epilepsy patients more effectively.
Given the discovery of this gene in relation to epilepsy, once targeted in the brain, it may be possible to control the entire epileptic gene network. This would be a remarkable method to develop medication that will work more effectively and give rise to new disease-modifying therapies that can help patients as well.
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