Researchers identify brain cell 'executioner'

By Ryan Maass   |   Oct. 7, 2016 

Researchers note the same molecular chain of events responsible for brain cell death in strokes and injury also appears in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's disease. Photo by Volt Collection/Shutterstock

BALTIMORE, 

Researchers have identified the common protein responsible for cell death during a variety of neurodegenerative diseases.

The authors say the same molecular chain of events appears to be responsible for "programmed" brain cell death in strokes, injury, and diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's, a process they call parthanatos. In their latest study, published in the journal Science, researchers identified the protein that completes the process, destroying cells by carving up DNA within the nucleus.

"I can't overemphasize what an important form of cell death it is; it plays a role in almost all forms of cellular injury," Johns Hopkins lead researcher Ted Dawson said in a press release.

The findings build on earlier work that found a protein called mitochondrial apoptosis-inducing factor, or AIF, moves to the nucleus during a cell's death. This process alone does not cut DNA, however. In the study, researchers used a chip to screen thousands of human proteins in lab-grown cells to determine which interacted the most strongly with AIF. A protein known as macrophage migration inhibitory factor, or MIF, was found to be the winning candidate.

"We found that AIF binds to MIF and carries it into the nucleus, where MIF chops up DNA," Dawson explained. "We think that's the final execution step in parthanatos."

Researchers say their findings open the door for developing new drugs to stop, prevent or reduce the death of brain cells in humans with neurodegenerative diseases.

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2016/10/07/Researchers-identify-brain-cell-executioner/1291475848105/