Researchers Find New Approach for Treating ALS

Researchers from Thomas Jefferson University have published a study in the journal Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology which reports that amytrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) causes overactive toxin removal and reduces the effectiveness of treatment. The study began by analyzing transporter proteins, which function by pumping toxins and waste materials out of the body. In mice with ALS, these proteins were found to increase in intensity as the disease progressed, possibly to compensate for the breakdown of other functions. This led to the discovery that hyperactive cleansing was also removing drugs administered to treat ALS, causing the treatment to lose efficacy as the disease worsened. The author of the study explained, “This mechanism that normally protects the brain and the spinal cord from damage via environmental toxins, also treats the therapeutic drug as a threat and pumps that out as well.” To counteract this, researchers administered the proven ALS drug riluzole with elacridar, which was selected to block transport proteins located in the brain. Unlike traditional studies where drugs were administered before symptoms manifested, researchers instead applied the drugs after symptoms developed in order to simulate ALS development in humans. While mice treated with only riluzole showed no improvement, those given both the blocking chemical and the ALS treatment showed notable improvements. This discovery could greatly enhance existing ALS treatments throughout the stages of the illness by preventing this previously unknown chemical rejection. To learn more about this study, click here.