Low pH levels could play a role in the development of prion diseases
A highly detailed 3D rendering of a double helix human DNA in blue color, with small carbon elements and light effects on a dark gray-blue background. The image shows an angle of view of different
Researchers from Michigan State University (MI, USA) have published findings that demonstrate how prion aggregation can be prevented, thus halting the development of deadly prion diseases. The report, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also showed how astemizolen, an antihistamine, can reduce aggregation. In the study, a two-laser approach was used to measure the speed at which proteins rearrange before aggregation. Lisa Lapidus (Michigan State University), senior author of the study, explained the findings: “While prion's transmission method is quite unusual, the process of protein clumping is quite common in a number of diseases, such as Alzheimer's...
