Scientists at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato
have identified hundreds of potentially new molecular targets
for drugs that could treat Huntington's disease. The results of
their work are documented in a study published in the Nov. 29
edition of PLoS Genetics. An incurable, progressive
neurodegenerative disorder, Huntington's disease affects motor
coordination and leads to severe physical and cognitive decline.
It typically proves fatal within 15 to 20 years. Currently,
there are about 30,000 people in North America diagnosed with
the disease and another 150,000 people at risk for developing
it. This genetic disease's deadly effects result when a mutated
gene that causes the overproduction of a toxic protein that
destroys neurons. In search of possible treatments, Buck
scientists screened more than 7,800 genes, using a RNA
interference technology that silences specific genes prior to
analysis. "There are over 20,000 genes in the human genome, and
these 7,800 were selected because they're dru