Very Encouraging!

[jimcaster]

The investigators screened 6,835,320 small molecules using software that predicted which ones would correct the cellular defect -- and would also be nontoxic, orally available and able to cross the blood-brain barrier. One particularly promising compound substantially improved mitochondrial clearance in Parkinson's patients' fibroblasts.

scopeblog.stanford.edu/2019...

[WinnieThePoo]

Keep em coming

[park_bear]

Study abstract here:

cell.com/cell-metabolism/fu...

[MBAnderson]

good find. encouraging indeed.

[sharoncrayn]

Several previous studies on Miro1 (a protein, also known as Rho1) have been done which is somewhat understandable since Miro1 is supposedly critical to the functioning of mitochondria as a "regulator" of inter-cellular transport .Is it positive? Is it negative? Or do we even know?

Definitely another theoretical, extremely high level, cell biology study deep in the "weeds".

Here is a cut and past from another study (U of Lux, EU) which is relevant:

"Recent studies found a loss of function of Parkinson’s Disease (PD)-associated proteins PINK1, Parkin and DJ-1, causing impairment of mitochondrial quality control and subsequent loss of neurons. Mitochondrial quality control requires a well-regulated interplay of the mitochondrial Rho GTPase Miro1 with the PINK1/Parkin pathway.

Once again, we find the issue critical to PD being "loss of function". In other words, defective mitochondrial distribution will ultimately lead to neurological disease (PD)...theoretically.

I wouldn't bet the farm on this study, or how best to deal with Miro1 and its supposed function in preventing PD, or its progression, but keep the faith if you must.

Sharon

[jimcaster in reply to sharoncrayn]

I won't bet the farm on just this one particular avenue to a major breakthrough, but I must keep the faith that a breakthrough will soon (within 10 years) emerge.

[sharoncrayn]

Jim:

Love your positive outlook, but I deal with the reality of science based research every day, day in and day out.

It boils down to this:

Nixon signed the amendment to the Public Health Service Act to initiate the "War on Cancer" revamping the National Cancer Institute in 1971. Do the math. Almost 50 years have passed.

Since then a conservative estimate of what the US has spent to develop a "true" breakthrough in cancer is about $100 BILLION. See anything that really reverses cancer?

I see Overall Survival (OS) increases at microscopic levels ( a couple of months is typical). Nothing to write home about.

PD research lags well behind, way behind, in funding compared to cancer. I can't even see it with binoculars. It is in the haze somewhere, way, way, way out there in Hobbit land.

NIH will spend 10 -15 times more on patient safety research than PD in 2020. 36 times more on bio engineering research than PD. 17 times more on HIV/Aids research, blah, blah, blah. Of course, NIH funding for research has absolutely little to do with mortality.

Now isn't that a conundrum?

Sharon

[sharoncrayn in reply to sharoncrayn]

Before someone jumps in and claims that private foundations and charities are leading the charge and finding breakthroughs for PD, let me remind you they have yet to develop anything meaningful.

MJFox has supposedly spent about $500 million, but only have "inbrihja" to show for it (2018).

They have initiated the PPMI, but no treatment modality from this database.

They have also examined the safety of LRRK2 inhibitors for PD.