90% Reduction
A dear friend of mine shared with me an article proclaiming that scientists have found a new treatment which reduces the amyloid beta protein by 90 percent. It is a very hopeful and exciting article.
Unfortunately, it overlooks what the scientists actually did. They "deleted jnk3 genetically" from the mice which serve as a model for Familial Alzheimer's Disease. Jnk3 is an enzyme produced as a result of a number of stressors which allows the amyloid beta proteins to clump. While genetic manipulation is not really a viable option yet for humans or even for mice who are already alive, it is a possibility when you are working with the embryo. The resulting infant would carry the genetic modification and hopefully benefit from the change.
However, this does point out that drugs which could suppress the jnk3 enzyme may prove to be one option for preventing or slowing the progression of Alzheimer's Disease. Suppressing jnk3 for therapeutic reasons has been under investigation since at least 2003.
Unfortunately, it overlooks what the scientists actually did. They "deleted jnk3 genetically" from the mice which serve as a model for Familial Alzheimer's Disease. Jnk3 is an enzyme produced as a result of a number of stressors which allows the amyloid beta proteins to clump. While genetic manipulation is not really a viable option yet for humans or even for mice who are already alive, it is a possibility when you are working with the embryo. The resulting infant would carry the genetic modification and hopefully benefit from the change.
However, this does point out that drugs which could suppress the jnk3 enzyme may prove to be one option for preventing or slowing the progression of Alzheimer's Disease. Suppressing jnk3 for therapeutic reasons has been under investigation since at least 2003.
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