New fluorescent label sheds light on brain diseases

November 5, 2007

In an advance that may speed progress toward new diagnostic tests for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (AD), scientists in New York are reporting development of the first direct method for measuring a key enzyme implicated in both of those chronic brain disorders. The study is scheduled for the Nov. 21 issue of ACS’ Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Dalibor Sames and Mary K. Froemming point out that the enzyme — 17B-HSD10 — has stirred excitement among researchers as a potential biomarker that could be used to diagnose AD and PD and chronicle the effectiveness of treatments.

Other studies have found that PD patients have reduced levels of the enzyme, while increased levels seem to protect laboratory mice from the disease. 17B-HSD10 also attaches to the abnormal brain protein in AD, perhaps contributing to the loss of brain cells. “Despite the importance of this emerging physiological and pathological marker, there are no agents for direct imaging of 17B-HSD10 in living cells and tissues,” the report states.

In the new study, researchers describe development of a compound with all the required properties for serving as such an agent. In laboratory tests on human cells, they showed that the new imaging agent lit up in the presence of 17B-HSD10 to permit non-invasive, real-time monitoring of the enzyme’s activity. “This new imaging agent will be used to elucidate the biological functions of this important physiological marker,” the study reported.

Source: ACS

4.8 /5 (4 votes)  

Rank 4.8 /5 (4 votes)
Tags

Relevant PhysicsForums posts

More news stories

Compound may help in fight against antibiotic-resistant superbugs

North Carolina State University chemists have created a compound that makes existing antibiotics 16 times more effective against recently discovered antibiotic-resistant "superbugs."

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created 2 hours ago | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Ordered planar polymers created for the first time

(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists under the direction of ETH Zurich have created a minor sensation in synthetic chemistry. They succeeded for the first time in producing regularly ordered planar polymers that form ...

Chemistry / Polymers

created 11 hours ago | popularity 4.1 / 5 (7) | comments 2 | with audio podcast

Manipulating genes with hidden TALENs

(PhysOrg.com) -- A better understanding of gene function in model plant and animal systems could be used to develop useful traits in livestock and crop plants, and might someday lead to developments in stem ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created 10 hours ago | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Pharmaceuticals from crab shells

The pharmaceutical NANA is 50 times more expensive than gold. Now it can be produced from chitin - a very cheap natural resource. The process was made possible by genetically modifying mold fungi.

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created 6 hours ago | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 0

Scientists discover molecular secrets of 2,000-year-old Chinese herbal remedy

For roughly two thousand years, Chinese herbalists have treated Malaria using a root extract, commonly known as Chang Shan, from a type of hydrangea that grows in Tibet and Nepal. More recent studies suggest that halofuginone, ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Feb 12, 2012 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (23) | comments 28 | with audio podcast


Researchers illuminate link between sodium, calcium and heartbeat

Using the Canadian Light Source synchrotron, researchers from the University of British Columbia have revealed, for the first time, one of the molecular mechanisms that regulates the beating of heart cells by controlling ...

Music service gives Myspace second wind

Faded online social network Myspace said Monday it was getting a second wind due to the popularity of a freshly launched online music player.

Fetal exposure to radiation increases risk of testicular cancer

Male fetuses of mothers that are exposed to radiation during early pregnancy may have an increased chance of developing testicular cancer, according to a study in mice at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. ...

Oxygen-deprived baby rats fare worse if kept warm

New study suggests that baby rats deprived of oxygen, but kept warm, had bigger swings in glucose and insulin, metabolic and physiologic effects that could increase the chances of brain damage. Findings could have implications ...

Challenges of identifying cognitive abilities in severely brain-injured patients

Only by employing complex machine-learning techniques to decipher repeated advanced brain scans were researchers at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell able to provide evidence that a patient with a severe brain injury could, ...

Prolonged fructose intake not linked to rise in blood pressure

Eating fructose over an extended period of time does not lead to an increase in blood pressure, according to researchers at St. Michael's Hospital.