IIT Hyderabad Professor Finds Cure For ALS, Which Causes Paralysis And Has Been Incurable

Every two people in 100,000 have their lives affected with ALS -- a neurogenerative disorder that severely impacts the voluntary movement of muscles causes paralysis-like symptoms, even death. This was what also affected world-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking.

IIT Hyderabad/ Reuters

The disease isn¡¯t completely curable with scientists not leaving any stone unturned. And now, researchers at IIT Hyderabad have found a new molecule that can help to treat ALS.

According to study researcher Basant Kumar Patel, Associate Professor, Department of Biotechnology at IIT Hyderabad, "One of the causes of ALS is the alterations in the genes that code for a critical protein called TDP-43. The gene alteration modifies the protein, which results in its liquid-liquid phase separation. This phase separation, in turn, causes the proteins to be deposited on nerve cells, resulting in neurodegeneration.¡±

While conducting their research in 2016, they stumbled upon a molecule dubbed ¡®AIM4¡¯ that reacted in a more positive fashion towards inhibiting abnormal aggregation of TFP-43 in vitro ALS disease model systems, as opposed to other molecules in this category.

Researchers analysed the molecule¡¯s behaviour and how it deposited the proteins in the nerve cells.

Patel further added, "We have shown that AIM4 prevents liquid-liquid phase separation of the modified protein, TDP-43-A315T. By this, AIM4 prevents aggregation of the protein and may potentially prevent the deposition on neurons."

Representative Image: Getty Images

They even tested AIM$¡¯s ability to prevent protein phase separation with Dimebon -- an antihistamine that was studied in the past for curing neurogenerative disorders by pharmaceutical companies in the US but couldn¡¯t clear clinical trials.

They found AIM4 to behave better than previous proteins that prevented protein phase separation.

Moreover, with the help of computational studies, AIM4 has a specific binding site on protein and looking at binding energy calculations, data has revealed a promising bond between AIM and mutant protein -- being energetically favourable. This means the drug will has a promising potential for treating ALS in the near future.