title: Compositions and methods for treatment of Parkinson's disease: a patent evaluation of WO2011/102847A1.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The application (WO2011/102847A1) deals with methods useful for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  It aims at producing mature and functional midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons useful for the treatment of PD.
  
  
  METHODS
  mDA neurons were produced from neural progenitor cells or stem cells by activating both the Wnt-Lmx1a/Lmx1b and the SHH-FoxA2 signaling pathways.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The level of the proteins of these two synergic pathways is increased, as well as their biological activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The invention provides a method for treating or preventing PD by increasing the level of at least one protein involved in an autoregulatory pathway, which is fundamental during mDA neurons differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Neurochimica dei Lipidi, Centro Europeo di Ricerca sul Cervello-Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chiurchiù
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maccarrone
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orlacchio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001681:Biological Assay; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051542:Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-beta / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D010330:Patents as Topic; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; D051542:Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-beta