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Leprosy Drug May Be Effective In Huntington's Disease, Study Suggests

A preclinical study from Karolinska Institutet offers hope for treating severe neurodegenerative diseases with an existing drug. The study suggests that the leprosy drug clofazimine may be effective in the treatment of Huntington's disease.

The research group examined whether existing drugs could reduce the toxicity of so-called polyQ proteins. These proteins are found in patients with certain hereditary neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington's disease, for which there is no cure.

Screening hundreds of drugs, they found that the leprosy drug clofazimine reduces the toxicity of polyQ proteins and restores mitochondrial function in zebrafish and worms. The finding supports the previous hypothesis that polyQ diseases are associated with the dysfunction of mitochondria, the organelles in charge of producing energy within cells.

The findings are published in the journal eBioMedicine.

"Our work not only suggests the interest of a specific drug for the treatment of polyQ neurodegenerative diseases, but also helps us to better understand what causes these diseases.

"It is possible to find new uses for old drugs, which reduces the time needed to find novel therapies," says last author Oscar Fernandez-Capetillo, Professor and research group leader at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics at Karolinska Institutet.

A problem is that clofazimine is not very efficient in entering the nervous system. The research group is now trying to figure out solutions to this limitation, by testing the efficacy of clofazimine in mammalian models of neurodegenerative disease.

"We hope that our discovery can be developed into a new medicine, but there are still some hurdles that need to be overcome," says Oscar Fernandez-Capetillo.

The researchers are also conducting similar drug screens in other age-related pathologies such as cancer and other neurodegenerative disorders.

More information: Xuexin Li et al, The anti-leprosy drug clofazimine reduces polyQ toxicity through activation of PPARγ, eBioMedicine (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.Ebiom.2024.105124

Citation: Leprosy drug may be effective in Huntington's disease, study suggests (2024, May 3) retrieved 31 May 2024 from https://medicalxpress.Com/news/2024-05-leprosy-drug-effective-huntington-disease.Html

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Team Hope Walk Raises Awareness For Huntington's Disease

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) - Professors from the University of Iowa laced up their shoes Saturday for the Team Hope Statewide Walk. The walk was to raise money for Huntington's Disease.

Huntington's disease is a rare, neurodegenerative disease that causes nerve cells in the brain to deteriorate. Professors from Iowa's Department of Psychiatry, neurology, pharmacy, and more along with members of the community, walked a mile around Coral Ridge Mall this morning.

Psychiatry department chair Peggy Nopoulos said because Huntington's is a rare disease walks like these are important to not only raise money but awareness as well.

"It's really helpful for families to get together because when you have a rare disease and you see other families who are also suffering, it brings so much hope and so much. I think the foundation of knitting together the family and also knowing that there's a place here at the University of Iowa that serves everyone's needs," Nopoulos said.

The walk was part of the Iowa chapter of the national organization Huntington's Society of America. It was one of five walks across the state on Saturday.

Copyright 2024 KCRG. All rights reserved.

Man Injured In Huntington Shooting

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Officers with the Huntington Police Department responded to reports of a shooting Friday evening.

The incident was reported just after 7 p.M. In the 1600 block of Doulton Avenue.

Huntington Police Chief Phil Watkins said officers located a man who had been shot outside of a home in the area.

Cabell County EMS transported the man to the hospital for his injuries.

Watkins said the injuries did not initially appear to be life-threatening.

No arrests have been made at this time.

Anyone with information should call the Huntington Police Department's Criminal Investigation Bureau at 304-696-4420, Ext. 1083. Information also may be left by calling the Tip Line at 304-696-4444 or by contacting 911.

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Huntington Police Department officers are on the scene Friday evening of a shooting, Cabell County 911 dispatchers said.

The incident was reported just after 7 p.M. In the 1600 block of Doulton Avenue in the Fairfield West community.

Dispatchers confirm there is one victim.

Our crew at the scene said neighbors told police they heard a gunshot and screaming, then ran outside to find the victim lying on a sidewalk with a gunshot wound to the leg.

That victim was taken to the hospital.

We're working to get more details. Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest.

Copyright 2024 WSAZ. All rights reserved.

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