Bern University scientists have discovered a protein that helps treat spinal muscular atrophy. - swissinfo

[Guest guest]

<http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news/science_technology/Scientists_score_in_fight_a\

gainst_fatal_disease.html?siteSect=514 & sid=9972236 & cKey=1226674242000 & ty=nd>

November 14, 2008 - 3:40 PM

Scientists score in fight against fatal disease

Biologists at Bern University have made promising inroads toward

treating spinal muscular atrophy, one of the leading genetic causes of

early childhood death.

One out of 6,000 newborns is affected by the disease, which attacks

nerve cells in the spinal cord responsible for voluntary movement.

Children suffering from the disease have two missing or malfunctioning

genes that are needed for the production of a critical protein for

healthy muscles.

Cellular biologist Schümperli and his team have found ways to

correct the problem by injecting cells with a specially developed gene,

which helps synthesise the missing proteins.

The scientists were able to see significant improvements in mice with

even the most severe cases of spinal muscular atrophy.

" This new study shows for the first time that the methods lead to a

notable reduction in disease symptoms, " Schümperli said in a press

release on Friday.

The results have been published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics.

Related story

* Researchers target chronic pain

LINKS

* Human Molecular Genetics - study

(http://hmg.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/ddn382?ijkey=Ul4lZs6VmXeiIMK\

& keytype=ref)

* Bern University (http://www.unibe.ch/eng/)

Related Articles for PubMed (Select 19010792) - PubMed Results

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Link & db=pubmed & dbFrom=PubMed & from_\

uid=19010792>

[Guest guest]

Is it just me, or does this sound very promising?

From: Jeff <jeff@...>

Subject: Bern University scientists have discovered a protein that

helps treat spinal muscular atrophy. - swissinfo

To:

Date: Saturday, November 22, 2008, 5:34 PM

<http://www.swissinf o.ch/eng/ news/science_ technology/ Scientists_ score_in_

fight_against_ fatal_disease. html?siteSect= 514 & sid=9972236 & cKey=12266742420

00 & ty=nd>

November 14, 2008 - 3:40 PM

Scientists score in fight against fatal disease

Biologists at Bern University have made promising inroads toward

treating spinal muscular atrophy, one of the leading genetic causes of

early childhood death.

One out of 6,000 newborns is affected by the disease, which attacks

nerve cells in the spinal cord responsible for voluntary movement.

Children suffering from the disease have two missing or malfunctioning

genes that are needed for the production of a critical protein for

healthy muscles.

Cellular biologist Schümperli and his team have found ways to

correct the problem by injecting cells with a specially developed gene,

which helps synthesise the missing proteins.

The scientists were able to see significant improvements in mice with

even the most severe cases of spinal muscular atrophy.

" This new study shows for the first time that the methods lead to a

notable reduction in disease symptoms, " Schümperli said in a press

release on Friday.

The results have been published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics.

Related story

* Researchers target chronic pain

LINKS

* Human Molecular Genetics - study

(http://hmg.oxfordjo urnals.org/ cgi/content/ abstract/ ddn382?ijkey=

Ul4lZs6VmXeiIMK & keytype=ref)

* Bern University (http://www.unibe. ch/eng/)

Related Articles for PubMed (Select 19010792) - PubMed Results

<http://www.ncbi. nlm.nih.gov/ sites/entrez? cmd=Link & db=pubmed & dbFrom=PubMed &

from_uid= 19010792>

[Guest guest]

Maybe... there have always been so many " good news " articles over the

decades that I always see these news articles as " another piece of the

puzzle, " as the devil is always in the details. I'll get excited when it

appears to work in humans, without causing cancer or mutating us into

something weird. :-)

Kathy Maloney wrote on 11/24/08 15:47:

> Is it just me, or does this sound very promising?

>

>

>

> From: Jeff <jeff@...>

> Subject: Bern University scientists have discovered a protein

that helps treat spinal muscular atrophy. - swissinfo

> To:

> Date: Saturday, November 22, 2008, 5:34 PM

>

> <http://www.swissinf o.ch/eng/ news/science_ technology/ Scientists_ score_in_

fight_against_ fatal_disease. html?siteSect= 514 & sid=9972236 & cKey=12266742420

00 & ty=nd>

>

> November 14, 2008 - 3:40 PM

>

> Scientists score in fight against fatal disease

>

> Biologists at Bern University have made promising inroads toward

> treating spinal muscular atrophy, one of the leading genetic causes of

> early childhood death.