–ALS patients with longer life expectancy had less p62 accumulated in spinal cord than others
A large accumulation in the spinal cord of p62, a protein involved in an intracellular recycling process called autophagy, has been linked to lower survival in patients with solitary ALS, according to a recent study. Autophagy is an important process that destroys abnormal or obsolete proteins and complex molecules. p62 accumulation indicates that this process is not working properly. The fact that this toxin, the p62 protein, aggregates and is not properly removed from the body is a hindrance to ALS treatment and contributes to the disease itself. The researchers describe their findings as indicating that they believe p62 may also have the potential to be used as a prognostic biomarker in ALS. The study, published in the Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology, is titled “Survival in sporadic ALS is associated with lower p62 burden in the spinal cord,” in the Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology. The study was conducted at the University of Sydney with funding support from an Australian foundation called FightMND. This news reminds us that the mystery of solitary ALS is gradually being solved.
Aug 11, 2023 by N. Schlough
