Next.

As soon as Zhao Sheng and Jin Dong arrived at the center, they were called to the office by Zhu Yong.

Entering the office and sitting on the sofa, Zhu Yong first made tea for the two of them, and then said to Zhao Sheng and Jin Dong: "Director Zhao, Professor Jin, I don't know how effective our current technology in nerve regeneration is for ALS?" ”

"ALS?"

Zhao Sheng was a little surprised when he heard this, and Jin Dong also looked a little puzzled.

ALS is also known as "amyotrophic lateral sclerosis" and "motor neuron disease". Together with malignant tumors, AIDS, leukemia and rheumatoid, it is listed as one of the "world's five terminal diseases".

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rare, progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive loss of motor neurons, which can affect both upper and lower motor neurons, in which upper motor neurons are damaged, affecting nerves in the brain; Lower motor neurons are damaged, affecting nerves from the spinal cord or brainstem.

The onset of ALS is usually difficult to detect, and symptoms gradually worsen over time. In the early stages, local symptoms are predominant, including muscle twitching (such as arms, legs, shoulders, or tongue), muscle stiffness, and muscle spasms. As the disease progresses, it may affect the whole body, and manifestations such as difficulty swallowing, speech, and breathing may appear. Respiratory muscle dysfunction, in particular, can be life-threatening. Some patients also have varying degrees of non-motor performance, including cognitive and behavioral changes.

A few years ago, the "Ice Bucket Challenge" swept the world, and this activity was a challenge to call people to pay attention to ALS and care for "ALS people".

In China, there are about 200,000 ALS patients, and this number is increasing year by year, and it is sad that because there is no effective treatment for this disease, about 80% of patients will die within 5 years after the onset of the disease.

"Yes, Director Zhao, Professor Jin, I think you also know that Liu Shi, the vice president of Zhongbei, is suffering from ALS."

Zhu Yong continued.

"I know that in order to treat himself, Liu Shi has invested all his funds in research and treatment of ALS."

Zhao Sheng nodded.

"Yes, we all know that the research institute that Liu Shi mainly invests in to study the direction of the treatment of ALS is based on the toxicity theory of Aβ and tau proteins."

"But yesterday I received news that the Institute's treatment for these two targets has failed."

"If we can't find a new treatment entry point, then Liu Shi's life will enter the countdown."

Zhu Yong said slowly.

"I know that the research institute invested by Liushi has developed a monoclonal antibody against Aβ, leqembi, but this antibody, in the actual use of the antibody, immune infiltration caused very serious cerebral edema side effects, so it was discontinued."

"In fact, I have always believed that the removal of abnormal deposition proteins is only a symptom rather than a cure, because the genes encoding Aβ and tau proteins are actually expressed in the whole brain, but the thalamus is not affected, so this toxic protein theory cannot explain this very important disease feature, and the deposition of Aβ and taught proteins is likely to be only a result of the disease rather than a cause."

Jin Dong said very seriously and professionally.

"Not only that, but the monoclonal antibody to α-synuclein that has been developed against another hypothesis of ALS, the toxicity theory of α-synuclein, has also failed."

Zhao Sheng continued.

He and Jin Dong are researching the technology of nerve regeneration, and they must be very familiar with the various cutting-edge research and progress of ALS.

"It's not surprising that α-synuclein is highly expressed in all neurons, so why is the deposition of α-synuclein confined to catecholaminergic neurons? Why can A53T transgenic mice only mimic Lewy body pathology, lack degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, and dyskinesia of motility? ”

"So it's normal to fail, and this toxicity theory is also debatable."

Jin Dong nodded and said.

"In this way, the existing theories proposed to explain the causes of ALS have basically failed, and the various treatments developed for these causes have failed clinically."

Hearing what Zhao Sheng and Jin Dong said, Zhu Yong said with some embarrassment.

"Director Zhao, Professor Jin, I heard that stem cell therapy is the treatment with the greatest potential for ALS, so with our current technology, can it effectively treat ALS?"

After a pause, Zhu Yong asked Zhao Sheng and Jin Dong with some curiosity.

"The use of mesenchymal stem cells to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is indeed very promising, because mesenchymal stem cells secrete factors that promote the survival of motor neurons and protect them from further damage, promote endogenous neuronal growth, neurogenesis, and provide therapeutic protection of neurons, which may extend the lifespan of existing motor neurons and slow down the degenerative process. Ultimately helps slow the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and maintain motor function for longer. ”

"In addition, stem cells have the potential to promote tissue repair and regeneration. They can secrete various growth factors and cytokines, such as transforming growth factor-1 (TGF-1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), etc., which stimulate surrounding cells and tissues to initiate the repair process, which helps to repair damaged motor neuron networks and improve the overall health of the affected area. ”

Jin Dong thought about it and said very seriously.

In terms of stem cell therapy technology, he is the top expert in China, and it can be said that he is at the forefront.

"In other words, you can try?"

When Zhu Yong heard Jin Dong say this, his eyes suddenly lit up.

"But I've read a lot of literature, and it says that the cause of ALS hasn't been clarified yet?"

After a pause, Zhu Yong said with some doubts.

I don't know the reason for this, how can I treat it effectively?

"A lot of diseases are treated first, and finding the cause is just one way to find a cure."

Zhao Sheng heard Zhu Yong's words, so he said.

"The onset of this kind of thing is very complicated, even if it is a certain disease that we are used to, it may be cured by buying medicine in pharmacies and clinics, but the pathogenesis is not necessarily all elucidated."

After a pause, Zhao Sheng said again.

"Yes, as long as we can cure it, it doesn't matter what causes it."

Hearing Zhao Sheng's words, Zhu Yong suddenly realized.

He has entered a conventional thinking mistake, believing that the cause of the disease must be found out, clarified, and then effectively treated.

In fact, in the field of medical research, many times, it is a mistake to have the first treatment result for a certain disease.

(End of chapter)