Protein behind Alzheimer's spread found

WASHINGTON: Indian-origin scientists have found for the first time that declining levels of a protein in the brain may play a key role in the advance of Alzheimer's disease. 

The new study from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute, US, identified a critical regulator of a molecule deeply involved in the progression of Alzheimer's disease. 

The regulator is known as Rheb, a protein that many believe may be active in neural plasticity, the ability of the brain to change in response to learning. 

The scientists found that Rheb binds and regulates activity of a molecule known as BACE1, an important enzyme in Alzheimer's disease pathology, establishing for the first time a new molecular link between Rheb and BACE1. 

"We found that Rheb regulates BACE1, which is a major drug target in Alzheimer's disease," said Srini Subramaniam, a TSRI biologist who led the study. 

"Studies of the autopsied brains of Alzheimer's patients have found a significant reduction in Rheb, so it is possible that an increase in Rheb could reverse the buildup of amyloid plaque," said Subramaniam. 

The study noted that in some genetically modified animal models, an increase of Rheb has already been shown to reduce BACE1 levels and the production of amyloid plaque. 

"If we can uncover the mechanism by which Rheb alters BACE1 levels, that would be a very good drug target," said Neelam Shahani, a first author of the study with William Pryor, both research associates in the Subramaniam lab. 

The new study indicates that Rheb degrades BACE1 through a number of pathways, but more research needs to be done before drug candidates can be developed. 

"We're very interested in the disease process and plan to keep moving forward to understand precisely how Rheb regulates BACE1," said Pryor. 

The study was published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. 

Does your spouse have diabetes? You may be at risk too

TORONTO: You may be at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes if your spouse has it, scientists, including one of Indian-origin, have found. 

Researchers found that a person is at 26 per cent increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes if their spouse also has the condition. The team from the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) in Montreal has found, through combined analyses of several studies, evidence that spousal diabetes is a diabetes risk factor. "We found a 26 per cent increase in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes if your spouse also has type 2 diabetes," said senior author of the study, Dr Kaberi Dasgupta, researcher at the Research Institute of the MUHC and an associate professor of medicine at McGill University. "This may be a platform to assist clinicians to develop strategies to involve both partners. Changing health behaviour is challenging and if you have the collaboration of your partner it's likely to be easier," Dasgupta said. Researchers wanted to see if diabetes in one partner could lead to diabetes in the other partner because many of the risk behaviours that lead to diabetes, such as poor eating habits and low physical activity, could be shared within a household. Researchers analysed results from six selected studies that were conducted in different parts of the world and looked at key outcomes such as age, socioeconomic status and the way in which diabetes was diagnosed in 75,498 couples. Most of the studies used in the meta analysis relied on health records which may not always accurately record diabetes, researchers said. Those that used direct blood testing suggested that diabetes risk doubles if your partner has diabetes. A strong correlation with pre-diabetes risk was also found. "When we look at the health history of patients, we often ask about family history. Our results suggest spousal history may be another factor we should take in consideration," said Dasgupta. "The results of our review suggest that diabetes diagnosis in one spouse may warrant increased surveillance in the other," she said. "Moreover, it has been observed that men are less likely than women to undergo regular medical evaluation after childhood and that can result in delayed diabetes detection. As a result, men living with a spouse with diabetes history may particularly benefit from being followed more closely," she said. The study was published in the journal BMC Medicine.

Developed cancer drug for 'western patients' who could afford, not 'for Indians': Bayer's CEO

NEW DELHI: Global medical charityMedecins Sans Frontieres slammed on Friday a statement by Bayer's chief executive that the giant German firm only developed its cancer drug Nexavar for people who could afford the medicine, not "for Indians".
India's controller general of patents angeredBayer in March 2012 when he authorized a local drugmaker to produce a generic copy of Nexavar, saying the German company charged a price that was too costly for most Indians.
"We did not develop this medicine (Nexavar) for Indians," Marijn Dekkers said at a little reported pharmaceutical forum last month, according to the January 21st edition of Businessweek.
"We developed it for western patients who can afford it," Dekkers said, and called the Indian regulator's action "essentially theft".
Bayer said the statements attributed to Dekkers were accurate and forwarded written comments made later by the German chief executive seeking to explain his remarks.
Dekkers said the comment had been a "quick response" at the industry forum to the Nexavar issue and added Bayer wants "all people to share the fruits of medical progress regardless of their origins or income".
But Dekkers added in the written comments he had been "particularly frustrated" by the Indian regulator's decision, which marked the first time a so-called compulsory licence of a patented drug had been awarded in India.
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said on Friday that the Bayer chief's remarks summed up "everything that is wrong" with the multinational pharmaceutical industry.
"Bayer is effectively admitting the drugs they develop are deliberately going to be rationed to the wealthiest patients," Manica Balasegaram, executive director of MSF's Access Campaign, said.
The medical charity said big pharmaceutical companies believe "research and development (R&D) can only be rewarded by a patent and through high prices to recoup the R&D costs. "Those who can't afford to pay are basically cut out of the system," Balasegaram said.
The Indian government gave local pharmaceutical house Natco Pharma a licence to produce a copy of Nexavar, used to treat liver and kidney cancer, at a 97% discount to the original selling price of the Bayer product in India.
Global drugmakers say India's powerhouse generics industry and strict patent filtering reduce commercial incentives to produce cutting-edge medicines.

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UK heart-attack survival rate 'should have been better'

Thousands of heart attack victims could have been saved if the UK had adopted similar treatment methods to Sweden, research suggests.

The study, outlined in the Lancet, looked at the quality of care and outcomes for heart patients in the UK and Sweden between 2004 and 2010.

Researchers believe more than 11,000 lives could have been saved if the UK had adopted similar technology sooner.

Heart experts say the UK is catching up but still needs to do more.

The researchers, from Sweden and the UK, compared data on the treatment of almost 120,000 patients in hospitals in Sweden and more than 390,000 in the UK over the seven years.

Sweden and the UK have similar health systems.

Both are universally available, funded by tax and free at the point of use - and have national guidance for the management of heart attacks.

They differ in size significantly: the population of the UK is more than 63 million, whereas Sweden's is between nine and 10 million.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

The uptake and use of new technologies and effective treatments recommended in guidelines has been far quicker in Sweden”

Prof Harry HemingwayUniversity College London

Results showed that 30 days after a heart attack, death rates for UK patients were more than a third higher than for Swedish patients - 10.5% for UK patients compared with 7.6% for Swedish.

The difference in death rates decreased over time, but mortality was always higher in the UK.

'Cause for concern'

The researchers took into account factors including age, sex, the severity of heart attacks, smoking, blood pressure and diabetes.

But even then, they estimated that 11,263 deaths over the seven years studied could have been "delayed or prevented" in the UK if patients had received the same care as their Swedish counterparts.

The main reason for the difference was found to be Sweden's pattern of introducing new technologies, such as developments in angioplasty treatments for blocked or narrowed arteries, faster.

In addition, Swedish doctors were more likely to prescribe the recommended treatments, such as beta blockers, when patients were discharged.

It also had "a more established system for evaluating and reporting the qualities and outcomes of care", the researchers said.

Prof Harry Hemingway, from University College London, who was one of those leading the work, said: "Our findings are a cause for concern. The uptake and use of new technologies and effective treatments recommended in guidelines has been far quicker in Sweden.

"This has contributed to large differences in the management and outcomes of patients".

He told the BBC the UK had made progress in the last few years.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

We need to be led by the research and introduce pioneering practices quickly and on a large scale”

Dr Mike KnaptonBritish Heart Foundation

But he added: "It is plausible that the mortality gap persists. It is important to carry out these ongoing comparisons between countries.

'Complex reasons'

"The NHS has shown improvement compared to the past. What this study shows robustly is that isn't enough."

Dr Mike Knapton, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: "The reasons behind the differing survival rates are complex, but one explanation could be the speed with which the two countries adopted primary angioplasty (treatment for blocked arteries) as an emergency treatment.

"Sweden's early adoption meant they saw the benefits quicker and this is reflected in the figures.

"However, the UK has caught up and last year the majority of patients received this treatment.

He added: "The lesson here for the UK is that we need to be led by the research and introduce pioneering practices quickly and on a large scale."

Prof Adam Timmis and Iain Simpson, of the British Cardiovascular Society said the difference in size between the two countries potentially explained some of the difference in the speed with which technologies were introduced.

But they said the study was a "timely lesson" of the importance of "responding more promptly to emerging technologies and treatments, particularly those that can improve outcomes for patients with life-threatening disorders".