Against cancer to stop progeria
2006/04/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria
Pharnesiltransferase (FTI) enzyme inhibitors are used to treat certain cancers. Now, UCLA researchers have shown that they can be beneficial against prognosis.
Progeria is a rare and curious disease. They estimate that in the world there are about 50 people fighting against the clock. As a result of a mutation in a gene, from an early age they have typical symptoms of old age: wrinkles, rare hairs... They also suffer other alterations that die in adolescence.
FTI influences errors due to mutation of this gene. So far it has been used for the treatment of some cancers and, due to its low toxicity, there is the possibility that they are given to children.
Research has been done with mice and has shown that FTI prevents osteoporosis, slow growth and loss of strength. Moreover, in the treatment of 20 weeks only one of the 13 mice treated died. On the contrary, 6 of the 14 mice that were not treated died at that time. Of course, to test it in humans will take more time and research, but they have opened the way of hope.
