Scientists Regenerate Rat Spinal Cords (Scientific Version)
10.1.04

Tampa, FL - THE FIRST TARGETED MEDICATION FOR TREATING PATIENTS WITH CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM INJURIES AND DEGENERATIVE BRAIN DISEASES UNDER RESEARCH AT UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI AND JOHNNIE B. BYRD SR. ALZHEIMER'S CENTER AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE

RESEARCHERS: Markus Wiksten, Antti Väänänen, Ron Liebkind and Päivi Liesi REGENERATION OF ADULT RAT SPINAL CORD IS PROMOTED BY THE SOLUBLE KDI-DOMAIN OF 1 LAMININ (Journal of Neuroscience Research)

RESEARCHERS: Markus Wiksten, Antti Väänänen, Ron Liebkind, Pekka Rauhala and Päivi Liesi -- THE SOLUBLE KDI-DOMAIN OF 1 LAMININ PROTECTS ADULT HIPPOCAMPUS FROM EXCITOTOXICITY OF KAINIC ACID (Journal of Neuroscience Research)

TAMPA, Fla.- (October 1, 2004) -- In a stunning scientific advancement, researchers at the University of Helsinki and the Johnnie B. Byrd Sr. Alzheimer's Center and Research Institute have identified a tri-peptide that stymies the inevitable destruction of tissue within the brain's memory center - the hippocampus - by providing protective properties to neurons. In addition, this same tri-peptide has been shown to regenerate nerve connections in spinal cords of paralyzed rats allowing them to recover to an extent that they could bear weight and even walk three months after injury while the placebo-treated animals remained paralyzed.

"This breakthrough research paves the way for human application. The findings of this research has significant value and great promise for patients and caregivers too," said Dr. Huntington Potter of the Byrd Alzheimer's Institute.

Dr. Paivi Liesi explains, "Our recent animal research provides hope that a novel therapy may soon be applied to cure human spinal cord injuries and to protect human brain against neuronal and Alzheimer death."

"This therapy utilizes a synthetic tri-peptide Lysine-Aspartic acid-Isoleucine (KDI) with both neurite outgrowth-promoting and neuroprotective properties. This peptide was identified through our systematic research to identify molecules involved in neuronal survival and neurite outgrowth. The wider significance of our research is that the KDI-therapy may become the first targeted medication for humans with central nervous system injuries (such as spinal cord injury) and disease (ALS, Alzheimer's disease) that currently have no or little cure," adds Dr. Liesi.

Statistics indicate there are more than 4.5 million Alzheimer patients in the United States at a cost of $100 billion per year. By 2020, 30 million people worldwide will be affected by Alzheimer's. This devastating disorder of the central nervous system follows life expectancy increases throughout the world. Wherever people are living longer, the rate of Alzheimer's is increasing. In the U.S. alone, 14 million Americans will have contracted Alzheimer's by 2050.

Dr. Liesi further explains, "Our research indicates that when a tri-peptide KDI (derived from the neurite outgrowth domain of a large protein called gamma1 laminin) is applied locally after severing the lumbar spinal cord of adult rats, the animals recover significantly and some are able to walk using their hind limbs. Scar formation at the lesion site is reduced as compared to untreated animals and central nerve fibers are seen in the caudal spinal cord of the KDI-treated animals. As a result, both motor and behavioral scores of the KDI-treated animals are significantly improved as compared to those of the placebo-treated animals. We also find that the tri-peptide KDI protects adult rat brain against neuronal (tissue) death induced by a glutamate analogue kainic acid. When kainic acid is injected into the adult rat brain, neurons die and the entire area of the brain becomes necrotic (dead). If injection of KDI precedes kainic acid, the brain tissue is protected, i.e., nearly intact and neurons appear alive."

"As most central nervous system lesions and diseases, including spinal cord injury and Alzheimer's disease, involve neuronal death caused by the neurotransmitter glutamate, the KDI-therapy provides the central nervous system with a protective micro environment with both neuronal survival-promoting and neurite outgrowth-supporting properties," Dr. Liesi said.

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