A substance found in the livers of dogfish sharks could help treat Parkinson’s disease, scientists at Cambridge University believe.
Early research suggests the compound, called squalamine, not only prevents the formation of toxic plaques called Lewy Bodies which accumulate in the brain of sufferers, but also stops them being as damaging once they’ve already formed.
The compound has already been used in clinical trials for cancer and eye conditions in America, and a trial in Parkinson’s disease patients is now being planned by one of the researchers involved in the study.
Studies on human cells and worms suggests that it could be a valuable treatment for the disease.
“To our surprise, we found evidence that squalamine not only slows down the formation of the toxins associated with Parkinson’s Disease, but also makes them less toxic altogether,” said Professor Christopher Dobson, of St John’s College at Cambridge University.
“If further tests prove to be successful, it is possible that a drug treating at least some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease could be developed from squalamine.
“We might then be able to improve on that incrementally, by searching for better molecules that augment its effects.”
In the new study, researchers found squalamine inhibits the early formation of toxic aggregates of the protein alpha-synuclein – a process thought to start a chain reaction of molecular events eventually leading to Parkinson’s Disease – and can suppress the toxicity of these poisonous particles.
laire Bale, Head of Research Communications at Parkinson’s UK, said: “Large, sticky clumps of alpha-synuclein, called Lewy bodies, are a classic feature of Parkinson’s, and are found inside the brains cells that are gradually lost throughout the course of the condition.
“Preventing the formation of Lewy bodies is one of the most hopeful routes to new treatments that can slow, stop or reverse the condition, and makes the discovery that squalamine may be able to do this especially promising.
“However, while this research is an important step in the right direction, there is much to learn about how squalamine works in the human body before we will know if it has any benefits for people living with Parkinson’s.”
The findings are published in Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences.
SOURCE: http://www.telegraph.co.uk
