A Recent Study Investigates The Ability Of An Asthma Drug To Reduce Levels Of
Parkinsons disease a progressive nervous disorder characterized by shaking, motor impairments, and muscle pain results from the breakdown and eventual death of brain cells in structures heavily involved in movement and muscle control. The aggregation of misshapen -synuclein protein within these brain cells is thought to be important to this process. Drugs which target -synuclein, most of which do so by preventing -synuclein aggregation, are therefore being investigated as potential treatments for PD. Newer research is focusing on reducing -synuclein production.
In a recent article in the magazine Science, the results of a study examining the effect of various substances on -synuclein production by brain cells are reported. Researchers exposed brain cell cultures to over 1,100 candidate drugs, vitamins, and supplements. One drug in particular, salbutamol , was found to reduce the activity of the -synuclein gene and therefore reduce levels of the -synuclein protein.
Specifically, the 2-adrenoreceptor which salbutamol activates and normally results in the opening of airways was found to also reduce SNCA activity by increasing histone acetylation.
References:
Asthma Drugs May Offer Novel Pathway To Thwart Parkinsons Disease
Recent research into preventing the Lewy bodies that are a hallmark of Parkinsons disease raises the possibility of a new path for drug development: repurposing existing asthma drugs to turn down production of alpha-synuclein.
Our study suggests a potential new pathway to target Parkinsons, says senior author Clemens R. Scherzer, MD, a neurologist and director of the Precision Neurology Program at Brigham and Womens Hospital and director of the Neurogenomics Laboratory at Harvard Medical School and BWH. We hope it will speed up drug development for patients with the disease and inspire therapeutic strategies for other brain diseases.
Traditional drug development approaches for Parkinsons have focused on clearing abnormal clumps of alpha-synuclein from the brain or on preventing its downstream effects. Instead, the researchers from the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at BWH set out to find ways to prevent alpha-synuclein from accumulating in the first place.
First, the team grew neuronal cells in the lab and treated them with more than 1,100 different compounds , looking for any that lowered expression of the alpha-synuclein gene. Beta2-adrenergic agonists were found to be the most promising candidates.
They found that the risk of developing the disease was reduced by 34 percent in people who had taken the drug compared to those who had not. People with the highest cumulative dose had the strongest protection, Dr. Scherzer notes.
Asthma Drugs Could Decrease Risk Of Parkinson’s
Researchers have discovered that a class of drug commonly used to treat asthma could lower the risk of Parkinson’s.
Results from an international study, , found drugs which activate proteins called beta-adrenoceptors, protect brain cells in a mouse model of Parkinson’s.
Building on this, the study also showed that prescription asthma drugs which target these beta-adrenoceptors proteins reduced the risk of Parkinson’s by half.
You May Like: Medications For Parkinson’s Dyskinesia
Don’t Try This At Home
On their own, none of these results would be decisive after all, biology only requires its evidence to have a five percent risk of occurring by chance. But the huge variety of data, obtained in different systems and using very different methods, all points in the same direction here. And the underlying ideaa focus on -synucleinis based on some pretty solid biology.
That said, it’s still too early to go rushing out to get prescriptions for any of these drugs. They’re “not currently FDA-approved for treatment,” as the authors note. The team goes on to point out that the drugs can exacerbate cardiovascular disease. The flipside of that latter point is that the drugs that enhance the risk of Parkinson’s are used to treat cardiovascular disease, specifically high blood pressure and heart arrhythmias. And both of those can definitely kill you.
So, while the focus on existing drugs may help in terms of limiting the amount of basic characterization and safety testing that needs to be done, it doesn’t mean the decision whether or not to use the drugs will be a simple one.
About David K Simon Md Phd
Dr. Simon earned MD and PhD degrees from Washington University in St. Louis and completed the Harvard-Longwood Neurology Residency in Boston, followed by a Movement Disorders Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. He then joined the faculty at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, where he is now a Professor of Neurology. He is the Chief of the Division of Movement Disorders at BIDMC and Director of the Parkinsons Foundation Center of Excellence at BIDMC.
Dr. Simon is involved in clinical studies as well as laboratory research to study agents that may have neuroprotective effects in Parkinsons disease. He was a recipient of the George C. Cotzias Award from the American Parkinson Disease Association and has received additional research funding from the American Federation for Aging Research, National Parkinson Foundation, Michael J. Fox Foundation, and two institutes of the National Institutes of Health the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke .
Recommended Reading: Art Therapy Parkinson’s Disease
Caution When Interpreting Survey Results
The results of the Harvard survey are fascinating and potentially very important. A survey can’t prove that a chemical has a health benefit, however, although it can suggest that this is possible or even likely. The larger the database that is studied, the more likely that the conclusions are true. A clinical trial is necessary to demonstrate that a discovery is correct. In this type of experiment, a treatment is administered to volunteers under conditions that are as much as possible controlled. The effects of the treatment are then studied in detail.
Some points to consider when analyzing the Harvard research include the following:
- The people in the Harvard and Norwegian survey who appeared to have been helped by salbutamol may actually have benefited due to a factor that is sometimes associated with salbutamol use and not from the medication itself.
- It’s possible that people need a certain gene variant or variants before they can benefit from salbutamol’s effect on Parkinson’s development.
- People in countries in which people have a different lifestyle and gene variant frequency from Norwegians may show different results.
- Some people who were free of Parkinson’s during the eleven-year-study may have developed the disease at a later date or may develop it in the future, since the survey only included data from 2004 to 2014.
Irlab Nominates Irl1117 As Drug Candidate From The P003 Project To Develop A Novel Treatment For Parkinsons Disease
GOTHENBURG, SE / ACCESSWIRE / January 12, 2023 / IRLAB Therapeutics Gothenburg, Sweden, January 12, 2023 – IRLAB Therapeutics AB , a company discovering and developing novel treatments for Parkinson’s disease, today announced that a drug candidate has been nominated from the P003 research project. The drug candidate, IRL1117, will be developed as a once-daily oral treatment for the hallmark symptoms of Parkinson’s without inducing the troublesome complications caused by today’s mainstay anti-Parkinson’s levodopa treatments. Initiation of development towards clinical studies has commenced and IRL1117 is expected to start Phase I studies in 2024.
“IRL1117 is an orally available and potent dopamine D1 and D2 receptor agonist that has demonstrated rapid onset and more than 10 hours of sustained efficacy in preclinical studies. This is a sharp contrast to the short duration of today’s Parkinson’s treatment alternatives, thus indicating that IRL1117 could become a significant improvement in the treatment of Parkinson’s. We see tremendous potential in IRL1117, and its follow-on compounds, already at the initial stages of preclinical development and we are looking forward to learning more about the efficacy and safety profile of IRL1117 as it develops toward clinical studies,” said Nicholas Waters, EVP and Head of R& D, IRLAB.
More information about IRL1117 will be communicated as its clinical development progresses.
For more information:
About the P003 project
About IRLAB
You May Like: How Do They Treat Parkinson’s Disease
Asthma Medications May Reduce The Risk Of Parkinson’s
Dear Doctor: Can asthma medications reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease? Should I start taking the medications as a preventive?
Dear Reader: A few years ago, research published in the journal Science revealed a surprising property of several drugs, including those that contain compounds known as beta-2 adrenergic agonists. These are found in drugs like salbutamol, also known as albuterol, a bronchodilator used to help open the airways of people with asthma and other respiratory diseases.
The stated goal of the research was to identify any existing drugs or compounds that could diminish or eliminate the presence of alpha-synuclein, a protein that accumulates in the brains of people with Parkinson’s disease. To that end, the team of researchers cultured human nerve cells in the lab and exposed them to more than 1,100 different medications, dietary supplements and vitamins. In the course of their testing, they identified several compounds that interfered with the production of that protein. These included asthma medications that contain beta-2 adrenergic agonists. This suggested that certain asthma meds may have potential in the management of Parkinson’s disease.
As to your question about using asthma meds as a preventive, the researchers say and we wholeheartedly agree the answer is no.
Eve Glazier, M.D., MBA, is an internist and associate professor of medicine at UCLA Health. Elizabeth Ko, M.D., is an internist and assistant professor of medicine at UCLA Health.
Symptoms That May Be Related To Pd
These symptoms can be associated with PD, but are also commonly associated with other medical conditions, so more testing is necessary. For example, weight loss may be associated with PD, but may also be a sign of a gastrointestinal problem or cancer. Pain may be associated with PD, but could be also due to arthritis, spinal stenosis, cancer, or a whole host of other causes.
There is a fourth category of non-motor symptoms that I would like to focus on now:
Read Also: What Tests Are Done To Diagnose Parkinson’s Disease
Specific Tremors Asthma Meds Not Linked To Parkinsons Risk Large Study Suggests
Researchers may have discovered why certain tremors and asthma medications increase the risk of developing Parkinsons disease.
Their findings suggest they were caused by the underlying clinical indications that led physicians to prescribe these medications in the first place tremors and smoking-related lung conditions rather than the medications themselves.
Their study, 2-adrenoreceptor medications and risk of Parkinson disease, appeared in the journal Annals of Neurology.
A previous study, using mouse models and nationwide pharmacy data from Norway, suggested that using therapies that target the beta-2 adrenoreceptor which is found in cells of the lung, brain, heart, skeletal muscle, and immune system can influence the risk of developing Parkinsons.
That study suggested that medications known to suppress the beta-1 receptor such as propranolol, a first-line treatment for tremors doubled the risk of Parkinsons, while those known to activate the receptor such as salbutamol, usually given to treat asthma and other lung diseases decreased the risk by a third.
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, have now evaluated whether the underlying clinical indications for the use of these medications tremors and lung conditions could explain these associations.
Asthma May Influence Risk Of Parkinsons Disease
HealthDay News Patients with asthma may be at an increased risk of developing Parkinsons disease, according to a study published in Allergy.
Chih-Ming Cheng, MD, from the Taipei Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan, and colleagues examined the temporal association between asthma and Parkinsons disease. A cohort of 10,455 patients who were diagnosed with asthma between 1998 and 2008 and 41,820 age- and sex-matched controls were selected and observed through 2011.
The researchers found that the risk of developing Parkinsons disease was increased among patients with asthma after adjustment for demographic data, health system use, medical comorbidities, and medication use. After excluding observations on the first year and first three years, sensitivity tests yielded consistent findings . The risk of subsequent Parkinsons disease was greater for patients with asthma who had more frequent admissions during the follow-up period .
Patients with asthma had an elevated risk of developing Parkinsons disease later in life, and we observed a dose-dependent relationship between greater asthma severity and a higher risk of subsequent Parkinsons disease, the authors write.
Don’t Miss: Parkinson’s Disease Process Of Diagnosis
Could This Be Due To Parkinsons Disease Uncommon Non
It is common for a person with Parkinsons disease to attribute every new symptom that develops to PD. That is largely because the list of non-motor symptoms commonly associated with PD is so varied, it can seem that almost anything is a symptom of PD! But if you take a closer look, there are some symptoms that are very commonly associated with PD, others that are virtually never associated with PD, and some in between.
Lets divide up non-motor symptoms into the following categories:
Symptoms That May Be Related To Pd But That Few People Know About
People with PD and care partners may suspect that a particular symptom is related to PD, but they cant find information about it, so they are not sure. Two symptoms that pop up in this category are runny nose and breathing problems, which well focus on today. Of course, if these are new symptoms for you, they could be indicative of a new problem, including infection with COVID-19, so make sure to get yourself checked out by your doctor. However, if all else is ruled out, PD could be to blame. Excessive sweating and specific skin disorders are in this category as well and have been addressed previously.
Don’t Miss: Parkinson’s Disease Free Online Course
How Do I Manage Time With Parkinsons Disease
Navigating Parkinsons disease can feel like a never-ending learning curve. A Parkinsons disease diagnosis may change many areas of an individuals life. The changes that appear with PD can contribute to emotional distress. Common symptoms of the disease may include anxiety, apathy, and depression. Management of Parkinsons disease is complicated due to its progressive nature. Time management can sometimes feel like another task, but creating a schedule and plan that works best for you and your particular PD requirements is important. However, the lifestyle changes that come with Parkinsons diagnosis are unavoidable, but there are ways to respond to these changes actively.
These tips can help you manage your time:
Significance Of The Findings
It is important to note that association does not imply causation, the authors caution. However, they suggest possible mechanisms that could account for the association found.
Beta-blockers, the researchers write, may increase expression through H3K27 acetylation, resulting in alpha-synuclein accumulation, mitochondrial oxidative stress, dopaminergic neurodegeneration, and increased risk of PD .
By contrast, the authors note, blood pressure medication may promote dopamine neuron health by reducing expression and mitochondrial free radicals.
The authors say, This may benefit nigral dopamine neurons, which are predisposed to mitochondrial dysfunction in the early stages of Parkinsons.
Our study suggests a potential new pathway to target PD, says corresponding author Dr. Clemens Scherzer, a neurologist and principal investigator at the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston, MA, and Harvard Medical School.
Clinical trials will be needed to determine if these insights can be translated into patients with PD We are excited about this innovative drug development strategy. We hope it will speed up drug development for patients with PD and inspire therapeutic strategies for other brain diseases.
Dr. Clemens Scherzer
Recommended Reading: Tai Chi For Parkinson’s Patients
Asthma Medicine Halves Risk Of Parkinson’s
- Date:
- The University of Bergen
- Summary:
- Using data gathered from 100 million Norwegian prescriptions, researchers have found that asthma medicine can halve a patient’s risk of developing Parkinson´s disease.
Parkinson´s disease is a chronic disease with unknown causes. The disease destroys the brain cells that control body movements. Shivering, stiff arms and legs and poor coordination are typical symptoms of Parkinson´s. The symptoms may develop slowly, and it sometimes takes time to make a correct diagnosis.
Researchers at the Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care at the University of Bergen have completed a large study that included data from the Norwegian Prescription Database, in cooperation with researchers at Harvard University.
“Our analysis of data from the whole Norwegian population has been decisive for the conclusion in this study,” says Professor Trond Riise at IGS. He leads the registery study in Norway.
100 million prescriptions
Together with colleagues Anders Engeland and Kjetil Bjørnevik, Riise has analysed more than 100 million Norwegian prescriptions registered since 2004.
In the study, the treatment of Parkinson´s was linked to prescriptions of asthma medicine and the medicine for high blood pressure. It enabled the researchers to see the connection between medicine use and illness.
Possible new treatment
Story Source:
Symptoms That Are Commonly Associated With Pd
These symptoms include sleep disorders, abnormalities in blood pressure, urinary problems, constipation, depression, and anxiety. Even though these symptoms are so commonly seen in PD, they are also commonly associated with other issues that have nothing to do with PD, so it is vital to keep an open mind about their cause. If any symptom is new or worsening, it could be an indication of a new medical problem. For example, urinary problems are extremely common in PD, but may be a sign of an enlarged prostate, which can be treated in an entirely different way.
Don’t Miss: Speech Exercises For Parkinson’s