Scalable assay to identify inhibitors of prion-like propagation of protein misfolding as potential therapeutics for neurodegeneration - PubMed
4 hours ago
- #protein-misfolding
- #drug-discovery
- #neurodegeneration
- Protein misfolding is linked to neurodegenerative diseases and can propagate via a prion-like mechanism.
- A scalable enzymatic assay was developed to test inhibitors of prion-like conversion in SOD1, linked to ALS.
- Some small-molecule inhibitors like telbivudine and cisplatin delayed conversion, while others like baicalein and quercetin had little effect.
- Surprisingly, statins accelerated conversion, potentially promoting ALS progression.
- The assay distinguishes between conversion and aggregation, offering promise for future drug discovery targeting misfolding propagation.