PEPTIDES UNLOCK DOORS TO UNDERSTAND PARKINSON'S DISEASE
α-synuclein is the principal constituent of the main neuropathological characteristic of Parkinson's disease.It is a protein that is abundant in neurons and localized in vicinity to presynaptic terminals. As a matter of fact, α-synuclein aggregates and forms insoluble fibrils in the dopaminergic neurons, which causes dysfunction in the release of neurotransmitters, critical for the normal brain function. To understand better this complex mechanism, α-synuclein represents a great opportunity for researcher to develop a potential treatment for Parkinson's disease!
WILL TARGETING ALPHA-SYNUCLEIN LEAD TO TREATMENTS FOR PARKINSON'S DISEASE?
α-synuclein has emerged as a major target in Parkinson’s disease and other related conditions known as synucleinopathies. Researchers have been studying the role of α-synuclein to determine how this protein may influence Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia (LBD). LBD encompasses the two related clinical diagnoses of Parkinson’s disease dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies. Among candidates in the drug development pipeline, there are several different approaches for α-synuclein targeted therapeutics.
This month's spotlight is on Swetlana Meinhardt, Category manager in the Procurement Department at Bachem AG. Learn about Swetlana's role at Bachem and what she likes to do in her free time.
This month's highlights include news about researchers that succeed in observing the membrane binding of α-synuclein in living cells, about a nine-amino-acid cyclic peptide that can penetrate the barrier of pancreatic tumors, about tissue 3D printing that use ultrashort peptides as scaffolding ink and about the development of a peptide-linked drug, which has the potential to become a next-generation treatment for cancers associated with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV).
Learn about amyloid peptides and related products for Alzheimer‘s disease research. Extracellular amyloid-β peptide deposition into cerebellar plaques and formation of intracellular neurofibrillary fibers accompanied by the loss of neurons are characteristic histopathological lesions found in the brains of Alzheimer‘s disease patients. Since the risk to develop the disease increases with age, Alzheimer‘s disease has turned into a major health and social problem in “first world” countries with an increasing proportion of older people, and is going to become one in emerging states.
CARE & HANDLING OF AMYLOID PEPTIDES
Bachem offers a broad range of amyloid peptides. Some of these peptides are notorious for their propensity to form scarcely soluble aggregates, which makes reconstitution difficult. As to help our customers, we have compiled a selection of literature references containing protocols for dissolving the peptides. This technical note contains information which could be helpful for your experimental work with our peptides.
