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| 24. 05. 2019 | Issue 66 | ||
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| ------------------------------------------ FACULTY ACHIEVEMENT ------------------------------------------ Discovering a Small Molecule to Restrain Neurodegeneration |
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Apart from studying polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases, which is a group of rare neurological disorders including spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs), Professor Edwin Chan from School of Life Sciences and his research team have recently discovered a small molecule compound named Anti-polyQ Aggregation for Machado-Joseph-Associated Neurodegeneration (AQAMAN). The newly discovered compound can interfere with toxic protein aggregation and restrain neurodegeneration, which could potentially be developed into therapeutic usage and bring hope to patients who are not able to control their arm and leg muscles, lack balance and coordination of gait, and have slurred speech due to the Machado-Joseph Disease. The encouraging research findings have been recently published as the cover story of the Journal of Biological Chemistry vol.294. Further reading: Hong, Huiling, Koon, Alex Chun, Chen, Zhefan Stephen, Wei, Yuming, An, Ying, Li, Wen, . . . Chan, Ho Yin Edwin. (2019). AQAMAN, a bisamidine-based inhibitor of toxic protein inclusions in neurons, ameliorates cytotoxicity in polyglutamine disease models. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 294(8), 2757-2770. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.RA118.006307
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