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【medical-news】酵母模式系统为治疗早期阿耳茨海
网址：http://www.news-medical.net/?id=21036
Yeast model system may provide a means for treating the earliest stage of Alzheimer's
Medical Research News
Published: Sunday, 19-Nov-2006
酵母模式系统为治疗早期阿耳茨海默病提供了一种方法
A century ago this month, German psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer formally described characteristics of the neurodegenerative disease which ultimately came to bear his name. While international efforts to learn about Alzheimer's disease and develop treatments have progressed significantly in recent years, a cure remains an elusive goal.
一个世纪之前的十一月，德国精神病学家Alois Alzheimer 正式介绍了一种最终以他的名字命名的神经变性疾病的特征。近年来，全球对于阿耳茨海默病发病机理及治疗方法的研究已经取得了令人注目的进展，但是还不能达到完全治愈的目标。
A new research tool developed by Susan Liebman, distinguished university professor of biological sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago, may ultimately provide a means for treating the earliest stage of Alzheimer's, thereby stemming its progression.
位于芝加哥的伊利诺州大学著名的生物学大学教授Susan Liebman ，发现了一种新的研究工具可以最终提供一种治疗早期阿耳茨海默病的方法，从而防止病情的进一步发展。
Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the formation of plaques in the brain largely composed of fibers made from a peptide called beta-amyloid, or A-beta, for short. There is abundant evidence to support the hypothesis that accumulation of A-beta peptide triggers the appearance of Alzheimer's. But while earlier research suggested the A-beta fiber caused Alzheimer's, recent research points at much smaller aggregates of the peptide as the culprit.
阿耳茨海默病的特征是在脑部形成小半鞘翅，小半鞘翅大部分由纤维组成，而纤维则由一种被称为β－淀粉状蛋白或简称为A－β的肽构成。大量的证据表明，A－β肽的堆积是刺激阿耳茨海默病发生的原因。虽然早期的研究认为A－β纤维是引起阿耳茨海默病发生的原因，但是近期的研究指出，小得多的肽的聚集物才是罪魁祸首。
"We've developed a yeast model system in which A-beta small aggregate formation can be detected," said Liebman. "The system employs a fusion of the human A-beta peptide to a functional yeast protein, called a reporter protein, which is only active in allowing cells to grow on test media if the fusion does not form aggregates."
Liebman表示，我们已经研制出一种酵母模式系统，在这种系统中，A－β小的聚集物的形成可以被检测出来。这一系统是利用了人类A－β的肽与一种被称为通讯员蛋白的功能酵母蛋白的融合，这种功能酵母蛋白只有在融合过程中不产生聚集物时，在允许的细胞中才具有活性，才能够在测试介质中生长。
Liebman said the yeast model system can be used to develop a high throughput assay to screen small molecules to find those that inhibit the A-beta dependent aggregation. "We'll screen a library of drugs and compounds, looking for ones that allow our yeast with the reporter protein to grow."
Liebman表示，酵母模式系统可以用于制定一种高流通量的测试方法来筛选小分子物质，确定哪一种物质可以抑制A－β的聚集。我们将会对一个药物及化合物库进行筛选，寻找那些能够使我们的携带通讯员蛋白的酵母生长的物质。
She said after the assay conditions are perfected, the screen will be ready for an automated process that will allow for fast testing of many compounds. Medicinal chemists would then study the structures of compounds that pass the screen and design compounds that enhance the activity without being toxic. Animal and human trials would follow.
她还表示，当测定条件精确以后，这种筛选过程将成为一种可以对大量药物进行快速测试的自动过程。药物化学家们再对筛选出来的化合物结构进行研究，设计出药效提高而没有毒性的化合物，然后进行动物试验及临床试验。
"One promising, emerging approach for treatment of Alzheimer's disease is to prevent these smaller aggregates from forming," said Liebman. "Disruption of these small aggregates rather than the larger fibers seems prudent since inhibition of A-beta fiber formation might cause the smaller aggregate species to accumulate, and since inhibiting smaller aggregate formation should also prevent the initial formation of the fibers."
Liebman还表示，对于阿耳茨海默病治疗的一种有希望的、突破性的途径是防止这些更小的聚集物的产生。这些小聚集物的分裂比更大的纤维的分裂更加危险，这是由于抑制A－β纤维的形成可能会造成更小的聚集物的聚集，而抑制小聚集物的形成则会防止纤维的形成。
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作者:admin@医学,生命科学 2011-05-24 05:11
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