New Target for Treating Degenerative Diseases Like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

Researchers have identified a gene therapy target that could potentially slow the development and progression of degenerative diseases.

Proteins serve as building blocks, receptors, processors, couriers, and catalysts in organisms. A protein’s structure is critical to its function. Misfolded proteins are unable to carry out their tasks and can also accumulate, leading to a variety of incurable degenerate diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and retinitis pigmentosa.

In a new paper published by Developmental Cell, researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara reveal a new connection between the ion transport protein ZIP7 and the cell’s proteasome, which degrades misfolded proteins. This link offers a promising target for treating a variety of degenerative diseases caused by protein misfolding.