Therapeutic Antibodies Protect Nerve-Muscle Connections in a Mouse Model of Lou Gehrigs Disease
Summary
Now a new study led by NYU School of Medicine researchers identifies a novel treatment strategy that preserved neuromuscular synapses in a mouse model of aggressive ALS.Chronic dosing with the stimulatory antibody led to a sustained increase in the number of neuromuscular synapses for two months, and improved function of diaphragm muscle, which is critical for breathing."Although the MuSK agonist antibody cannot override the many pathological pathways that occur in motor neurons and in non-neuronal cells, therapeutic interventions that preserve neuromuscular synapses have the potential to improve the quality of life for a majority of ALS patients."Nicolas Delestrée, a postdoctoral fellow, and George Mentis, a faculty member, at the Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease at Columbia University, were key collaborators.Related Links NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrigs disease, causes lethal respiratory paralysis within several years of diagnosis.