New treatments for denervating diseases.
There has been considerable recent progress in understanding mechanisms by which gene mutations cause degeneration of motoneurons and peripheral nerves. Novel therapies inspired by these insights have begun to yield promising results in mouse models of these genetic diseases. Among these have been the use of small molecules or proteins to suppress gain-of-function mutations (eg, ascorbic acid for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A) or to restore enzyme activities that are deficient because of loss-of-function mutations (eg, treatment of Fabry's disease with recombinant alpha-galactosidase or with low-molecular-weight alpha-galactosidase chaperones and treatment of spinal muscular atrophy with phenylbutyrate). Some of these therapies are already being tested in humans. Equally exciting is the prospect that small molecules and proteins will be identified that exert potent therapeutic effects in a broad spectrum of inherited and acquired motoneuron and peripheral nerve disorders.
Pleasure
David
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Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 34th and Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA. pleasure@email.chop.edu
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010244:Bulbar Palsy, Progressive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002607:Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000795:Fabry Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009134:Muscular Atrophy, Spinal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010654:Phenylbutyrates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000519:alpha-Galactosidase / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000975:Antioxidants; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010654:Phenylbutyrates; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000519:alpha-Galactosidase; D001205:Ascorbic Acid