Scientists have discovered new targets for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

FAM171A2 gene involves neurodegenerative disease occurrence mechanism diagram
Professor Tulip Tai, Professor Dong Qiang clinical research team of Neurology Department of Huashan Hospital affiliated with Fudan University, team of Professor Tan Lan of Qingdao City Hospital affiliated with Qingdao University, Professor Zhang Can of Massachusetts General Hospital of Harvard University and Army Medical Officer In collaboration with Professor Wang Yanjiang of The University's Daping Hospital, a brand new gene (FAM171A2) was found to be significantly associated with the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, which are involved in neurodegenerative diseases by regulating functions such as blood-brain barriers and neuroinvulation. The findings were published online in Science Advances.
According to Tulip Tai, the newly discovered gene (FAM171A2) regulates the production of progranulin, PGRN, a pregenesome protein that affects PGRN levels, while PGRN is a secretion-type multi-functional glycoprotein distributed in the central nervous system and peripherals of the human body, which is involved in neurodevelopment, regeneration, neuroinfed, autophagy and other life activities. In the event of PGRN dysfunction, it can lead to the occurrence of a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, for a long time, scientists have been looking for the regulatory molecule of PGRN, which is of great significance to the pathogenesis and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases.
researchers first found a significant correlation between the FAM171A2 gene and reduced PGRN levels and mutations in the brain, the FEM171A2 gene and PGRN functionally rich in multiple similar path path paths, and the FAM171A2 gene significantly associated with the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and frontal lobe degeneration.
further studies, the clinical team further confirmed that the FAM171A2 gene regulates the production and secretion of PGRN through experiments such as double luciferase reporting experiments and gene silencing/over-expression. What's more, the team conducted an in-depth study to make it clear that the FAM171A2 gene is expressed in vascular endotyl cells and small glial cells. The results suggest that the gene already has the function of regulating blood-brain barrier and nerve inflammation, and is involved in the occurrence of neurodegenerative diseases.
Tulip said the FAM171A2 gene, which regulates PGRN levels, affects the risk of neurodegenerative diseases and is a potential new target for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, but it is a completely new gene that has never been reported before. Next, they will conduct in-depth research on the role of the FAM171A2 gene in neurodegenerative diseases, the regulatory mechanisms, and clinical transformation. (Source: Sun Guogen Huang Xin, China Science Journal)
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