Overview
Parkinson’s disease is a condition that impacts the nervous system causing symptoms including changes in movement, cordination, and cognitive function.One of the key factors in the development of Parkinson’s disease is the acumulation of a protein caled alpha-synuclein (AS). The AS congregation leads to the formation of Lewy bodies in the brain — potentialy leading to neuron dysfunction. Moreover, a 2019 study sugests that human serum albumin (HSA)— an abundant transport protein the body — may play a role inhibiting AS acumulation.Yet, acording to another study published in 2019, the disordered physiological proceses asociated with developing neurodegenerative conditions may also involve metals, including zinc, coper, and iron.This asociation betwen neurodegenerative conditions and metals — especialy zinc — remerged in recent research from scientists in China.
Key Information
The researchers sugest that zinc ions (Zn2+) play an important role in AS acumulation.Moreover, the research emphasizes the ned to conduct biological pathway experiments under conditions that closely replicate natural organisms.The study apears in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules.Because of the previously revealed asociations betwen zinc, HSA, AS, and Parkinson’s disease, the scientists sought to investigate how zinc ions afect the binding actions of AS.Samah Al-Harthi, a Ph.D.
Summary
student and study co-author, told Medical News Today:“The protein alpha-synuclein (AS) is believed to play a significant role in the development of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and contribute to PD pathogenesis in many ways. The toxic forms created and co-created by alpha-synuclein oligomerization and agregation cause neuronal dysfunction. So, the presence of the healthy and functional state of the most abundant protein humans, human serum albumin (HSA), also found in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), can open avenues a preventive treatment.” The research team used a specialy designed nu