Researchers, led by Dr Kurt De
Vos and Dr Alex Whitworth, from the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the
University of Sheffield have discovered vital new evidence on how to target and
reverse the effects caused by one of the most common genetic causes of
Parkinson’s. Specifically, it is known that mutations in the LRRK2 gene carry a
well-established link for Parkinson’s disease; however, the basis for this link
still remains unclear today.
The team of researchers, through their
research with Drosophila (fruit flies),
found that certain drugs, deacetylase inhibitors, can fully restore movement
problems observed in the flies carrying the LRRK2 Roc-COR Parkinson's mutation.
Specifically, these drugs target the transport system and reverse defects that
are caused by faulty LRRK2 within nerve cells.
Dr. Whitworth was quoted as
saying: “By targeting the transport system with drugs, we could not only
prevent movement problems, but also fully restore movement abilities in fruit
flies who already showed impaired movement marked by a significant decrease in
both climbing and flight ability."
The LRRK2 gene produces a protein
that affects multiple processes in the cell; this protein binds to microtubules
which are the cells transport tracks. Defects in the transport system have been
linked to be contributing factors for Parkinson’s disease. The researchers investigated
this link and found that certain LRRK2 mutations affect transport in nerve
cells. The mutations led to observed movement problems in the fruit flies. The
group of researchers used several approaches which showed that preventing the
association of the mutant LRRK2 protein with the microtubule transport system
rescued the transport defects in nerve cells which in turn alleviated the movement
deficits in fruit flies.
Certainly there needs to be more significant
research done before more definitive results can be drawn from this research.
However, the research results are very promising especially since there are
currently no cures for Parkinson’s disease. Therefore, any research, albeit
small at the movement, provides encouragement that there will one day be a cure
for this degenerative neurological condition.
