Drugs defusing ALS-causing peptides identified

In a novel study published in Cell Chemical Biology, a group of researchers led by Oscar Fernandez-Capetillo (Karolinska Institutet/SciLifeLab) have identified drugs that limit the toxicity of arginine-rich peptides known to cause the neurodegenerative disease amytrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The analyses were enabled by the SciLifeLab Cell Profiling unit.

At present, there is no cure for ALS. Previous research has uncovered mutations leading to the production of peptides that accumulate at the nucleoli of mammalian cells and trigger cell death to cause the development of disease. The progress of the new study provides clues to potential therapies for this fatal illness.

Read a news article by Karolinska Institutet

Read the full paper in Cell Chemical Biology