A research, at the Neurodegeneration Laboratory of the Functional Unit of Chronic Disease Research from the Institute of Health Carlos III (UFIEC-ISCIII) in Spain, may allow new therapeutic treatments for brain damage and spinal cord injuries.
The research was led by Marcal Vilar, director of the Laboratory of Neurodegeneration UFIEC-ISCIII. The study could result in new strategies to promote the recovery of damaged nerves. This recovery is commonly difficult due to inhibitory signals from myelin, which surrounds and insulates the axon.
Marçal Vilar explains the paralysis resulting from spinal cord injury occurs because the damaged nerves are not able to re-grow and work normally. This happens because molecules, which bind to specific receptors in axons, are released in the injured areas; preventing axon growth and regeneration.
The receptors involved in this process are called Nogo Receptor (NgR). The NgR, by binding to a neurotrophin receptor protein called p75, produces a signal that prevents the regeneration of damaged nerves.
The researchers found that another protein, called p45, is capable of binding to the p75, blocking its inhibitory activity. The possibility of blocking this inhibitory effect, after neuronal damage, is very important in the protection and restoration of neurons.
Finally, Vilar said that his work “has shown that p45 binds specifically to certain regions of p75 in order to block its function and signaling. Now we know where to act to block the activity of p75. With this new strategy, we think that a door is opening to the rational design of specific inhibitors of p75 to allow future therapeutic applications in various processes of brain damage and spinal cord injury.”
Through: ABC Spain
