NRG1 protein can help to effectively treat Alzheimer's disease

According to news from RIA Novosti on August 25th, US neuroscientists made use of recombinant human proteins and found an upgraded brain protein - neuregulin 1 (NRG1) and this protein can effectively help to treat Alzheimer's disease.

It is generally throught that Alzheimer's disease is due to too much amyloid pathogenic substance called β-amyloid protein depositing inside neuron. Such β-amyloid protein is formed from β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) proteolysis. It is involved in repairing damaged proteins and can be combined with protein molecules. β-amyloid protein can lead to the emergence of amyloid plaques and death of nerve cells.

While scientists from the United States Institute of Biology Khajuraho Cambiasso Turk have recently discovered a protein having a clear function - neuregulin-1. The protein can’t only clear the protein plaques in the brain but also can slow down the formation of β - amyloid plaques.

Scientists conducted experients with mice suffering from Alzheimer's disease. They put a special virus containing neuregulin-1 proteins in brain of the lab mice. The purpose is to make the neuregulin-1 genes grow in mice. During the process of experiment, the scientists made the mice to look for exit, and then they observed whether neuregulin-1 proteins would improve the memory capacity of mice and make the protein plaques in their neurons decrease. Experiments show that the neuregulin-1 protein does improve the memory capacity of mice and remove β- amyloid protein plaques.

Currently, scientists still don't know the specific reasons for this phenomenon. But they believe that neuregulin-1 protein can promote to form another peptide - enkephalinase enzyme which can solubilize protein agglomerate. However, whether the fact is true remains to be verified through the results of recent experiments.

Besides, scientists also said that the main advantages of neuregulin protein is that it can move freely through the barrier between the brain and the rest of the body, thus it can be flexibly used to treat Alzheimer's disease. Flarebio offers recombinant proteins of good quality such as recombinant EXT2.