by Adrien Vlahovic | February 12, 2021
Thanks to a genetically modified protein, a team of German scientists were able to repair nerves in the spinal cord of mice. The treatment allowed the rodents to walk again, even after complete paralysis. Huge hope for people with paralysis, announced Science Daily January 15th.
This gene therapy is the first to be able to repair nerves that have been cut or broken, according to study published the previous week in Nature Communications. This new treatment helps the original nerve to grow back, instead of using a transplant. The trick comes from the protein hyper-interleukin-6, which when genetically modified helps stimulate neuronal growth.
Using a gene therapy vector injected into the brains of mice, scientists at the University of the Ruhr implanted the genetic sequence needed to produce this regenerative protein. The cells of the mice then began to produce the protein, which healed previously incurable nerve damage as it spread throughout the body.
« Ultimately, this allowed previously paralyzed animals that had received this treatment to start walking after two to three weeks. ”, Said lead author of the study, Dietmar Fischer, in a press release. ” It was a big surprise at first, as it had never been shown following full paraplegia. »
The next step for the team is to see if gene therapy can cure mice several weeks after their spinal cord injury. Until now, the treatment was tested immediately after the injury. This is one of the major aspects for a possible application in humans. Such a treatment could revolutionize the management of nerve damage in the future.
Source : Science Daily
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