Brain's anti-oxidant defense studied

BOSTON, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they have discovered how the brain turns on a system designed to protect its nerve cells from toxic "free radicals."

The researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute said toxic "free radicals" are a waste product of cell metabolism that has been implicated in some degenerative brain diseases, heart attacks, strokes, cancer and aging.

Potentially, the researchers said, it may be possible to use drugs to strengthen the antioxidant system in the brain as a treatment for presently incurable diseases such as Parkinson's, Huntington's and Alzheimer's.

Lead researcher Bruce Spiegelman and colleagues, using a mouse model, discovered a regulatory protein, PGC-1a, switches on the anti-oxidant system when free radicals, or reactive oxygen species, begin to accumulate.

It's believed some brain diseases involve a failure of the protective system and the researchers found turning on PGC-1a to high levels in cultured cells protected them against nerve toxins.

The findings are to be published in the Oct. 20 issue of the journal Cell.