Al Ahli extends perfect start with 5-1 victory over Al Shorta    Mitrovic's hat-trick leads Al Hilal to 3-0 victory over Esteghlal    Tourism Development Fund launches "Tourism Empowerment" programs to enhance sustainable growth of SMEs    Saudi crown prince, Tunisian president review bilateral relations in phone call    SFDA Chief visits premier biotechnology and medical firms in China    Al-Khereiji: Collective action in combating terrorism is a must for achieving stability and prosperity    Saudi Awwal Bank becomes the Kingdom's first bank obtaining ISO certification for quality management system in operations    Spanish flood rescuers focus search on underground car parks    10 cooperation agreements signed during Saudi-Turkish Business Forum in Istanbul    Saudi Arabia's non-oil revenues grow 6% in 9 months while Q3 budget posts SR30 billion deficit    Quincy Jones, titan of US music, dies aged 91    Domestic violence should not be taboo subject, says Queen Camilla    Slavery reparations not about transfer of cash, says UK's Lammy    Pro-EU leader claims Moldova victory despite alleged Russian meddling    Enhancing zakat, tax, and customs compliance takes center stage at the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Conference 2024    Neymar expected to join Al Hilal squad for AFC clash against Esteghlal, says coach Jesus    Al Qadsiah secure 2-0 victory over Al Ettifaq in first Eastern Derby since 2021    Hidden sugars in Asia's baby food spark concerns    HONOR unveils pre-order of the stunning HONOR MagicBook Art 14 Featuring an ultra-slim design, HONOR Eye Comfort Display and AI Cross-OS WorkStation    Teri Garr, Young Frankenstein and Tootsie star, dies at 79    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Muted Eid celebrations for millions of Nigerian Muslims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Drug could stop spinal injuries, researchers say
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 21 - 04 - 2010

Shutting off a single gene can help stop the cascade of damage that can paralyze people with spinal cord injuries, Reuters quoted U.S. researchers as reporting today.
They propose using a common, generic diabetes drug in combination with a gene-silencing technique to stop spine injuries from getting any worse, and believe the approach may also work in people with stroke and traumatic brain injuries.
Their experiment, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, shows it is possible to stop the bleeding that can cause the damage from an injured spinal cord to spread and worsen.
"What we're doing is preventing bleeding from occurring," said Marc Simard of the University of Maryland, which has licensed the technology to a company Simard works with called Remedy Pharmaceuticals.
When the spinal cord or brain is injured, the capillaries can burst, bringing in an overwhelming wave of chemicals called inflammatory factors that are meant to heal but that often worsen the damage. This is why stroke patients do not always show immediate symptoms but can worsen in the hours afterwards.
Simard's team demonstrated that a gene called ABCC8 starts this process. It controls a molecule called the sulfonylurea receptor 1 or SUR1.
"It gets activated after an injury like ischemia (when blood vessels are blocked) or trauma," Simard said.
Simard's team blocked this gene in mice and rats using gene-blocking therapy called antisense and showed that after a spinal cord injury, the damage and effects were much less without ABCC8.
They also tested the spinal cords of seven patients who died within five days of a spinal cord injury and showed the same gene was active. The next step is to try this approach in people, said Simard.
"I think we are pretty darn close to a clinical trial," he said in a telephone interview.
The antisense drugs are easy to make, he said. And the common diabetes drug glyburide blocks the destructive SUR1 protein made by the gene.
Remedy Pharmaceuticals is working to make an infused version of both drugs that could work together to block the gene and block the protein that the gene makes.
Glyburide is already in Phase I safety trials for treating traumatic brain injury and stroke, Simard said.
"My hope is eventually you could get it into the ambulance," Simard added. He hopes there will be no side-effects from giving the drug, even to lightly injured people, so that ambulance workers could give an immediate infusion to anyone with apparent brain or spinal cord damage to stop the deadly cascade of damage.
The potential market is large. "Worldwide, the incidence of spinal cord injury ranges from 10 to 83 per million people per year," Simard's team wrote.
Many teams are looking for ways to prevent the early damage that makes brain and spinal cord injuries so devastating.
A team has engineered an enzyme that can gobble up scar tissue formed after spinal cord injuries, and is working with Acorda Therapeutics to develop it.
Another team found last year that injecting tiny polymer spheres into rats right after spine injuries helped the animals recover movement and prevented secondary nerve damage.
Yet another group found last year that a common and safe blue food dye might block inflammation.


Clic here to read the story from its source.