Author: Merentsova Anastasia
Translator: Issabayeva Madina
Copy editor: Kigbaeva Kamila
Scientists from the United States have created a protein to prevent the death of neurons. A study published in “Science Advances” found that mice who received the drug had recovered better, which could play a significant role in protecting the brain after a stroke.
A previous study by these scientists showed that the leakage of potassium from neurons was stimulated by the interaction of a potassium channel in the cell membrane and a protein called syntaxin. They found that a compound called TAT-C1aB interferes with this interaction and slows down the leakage, becoming a kind of brain neuroprotector for patients with ischemia.
For a new study, they identified two types of channels in the cell membrane: one of them is responsible for its excitability, the other for the formation of new channels, the withdrawal of potassium from the neuron and, as a result, its death. The TAT-DP-2 protein developed by scientists disrupts the permeability of new channels and retains potassium inside the cell, preventing its destruction. The group has already conducted tests on mice: the results showed that animals that received the protein injection had less area of brain damage and better long-term neurological function.
According to WHO statistics, ischemic heart diseases are considered the leading cause of death. So, annually, only 15 million people in the world suffer from a stroke, about five million die, the same number remain disabled. Modern therapies are aimed at removing the blood clot and restoring the blood supply to the brain, which, unfortunately, can lead to serious organ damage, oxidative stress, and the risk of a recurrence of stroke.
In clinical practice, there are no drugs that can block cell death after a stroke. In the future, the use of a drug based on the TAT-DP-2 protein will help accelerate the recovery process after a stroke, and can also help people with a stroke, in which a clot is in an inaccessible blood vessel, or who couldn’t get to the hospital on time.
Source: https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/27/eaaz8110
