EVANSTON, Ill., June 7 (UPI) -- Northwestern University scientists have devised a way to safely deliver and regulate the expression of therapeutic genes to treat Parkinson's disease.
The researchers created three viral vectors -- carrier molecules -- that track gene delivery and expression in cells.
The vectors carried a system in which the introduced gene is continually expressed or "on" but can be switched off with the antibiotic doxycycline.
The scientists injected the vectors delivering therapeutic genes into rat brains at the area where the neurotransmitter dopamine activates nerve cells for motor coordination. They found up to 99 percent of the vector-introduced gene was turned off with small doses of doxycycline.
In Parkinson's disease, dopamine-producing neurons degenerate, resulting in gait problems and shaking.
The research group had discovered cells that secrete protein factors promoting survival of dopamine neurons that could be used for Parkinson's but needed a regulation method. The new method will enable scientists to turn off these growth-inducing genes when needed.
