Retinal degeneration can be treated with drugs designed for Alloodlism
Disulfiram is a drug commonly used to treat alcohol use disorder. It works by forcing people to consume booze. Also known by the brand name Antabuse, Disulfiram blocks an enzyme in the liver that breaks down alcohol. When alcohol stays in the body, a person starts to feel sick. For some recovering alcoholics, the fear of this reaction is enough to keep them confused. Disulfiram is not usually the first treatment for alcoholism. So the researchers found another possible use for this drug: Treating dementia.
Treatment of Non-Responsive Degeneration
Retinal degeneration is an umbrella term for conditions involving the gradual loss of retinal cells. It is a symptom of other eye-related diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy, retinitis pigmentosa, and age-related macular degeneration. Regardless of the diagnosis, retinal degeneration is bad for the eyes over time, and in most cases, it is irreversible. In disorders such as retinitis pigmentosa, a risk factor is family history, which makes it difficult to prevent.
So the scientists were happy to find that abstinence can do more than block the enzymes that work with alcohol. It can also block enzymes that make redinoic acid. In general, redinoic acid is an important substance for eye health. It is a metabolite of vitamins A that supports ocular development, maintenance, and immune function. But in cases of retinal degeneration, redinoic acid can cause a hyperactive stimulus that worsens vision loss.
In a 2022 study in scientific progress, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, tested the ability to remove disfulfiram to reduce the production of redinoic acid in the room with the degeneration of mice. The team found that after applying the drug for about 40 days, the nearly blind mice became better at finding images on a computer screen.
“We knew the mechanism by which the disulfiram blocks the therapeutic effect very similar to the hyper-acter-acted mechanism in degenerative blindness,“Said the author of the Study Michael Telias, Ph.D., in an interview. Professor of ackais, assistant professor of ophthalmology, and neuroscience, and physical science at the University of Roochester Medical Center, explained the subsequent experiment. “We saw a vision that was lost for a long time that was preserved in those who received treatment.”
Evaluating the abilities of disulfiram
Moving forward, the researchers plan to work with ophthalmologists to conduct a clinical trial involving people with advanced but not complete retinal degeneration. “There may be longer windows when suppressing redinoic acid with drugs such as disulfiram can significantly improve low vision and make a real difference in people’s quality of life,” Richard Kramer, lead researcher and UC Berkeley professor of molecular and stem cell biology, said in a press release. “Because the drug is already approved by the FDA, the regulatory hurdles are low. It would not be a permanent cure, but currently there is no treatment available that improves vision temporarily. ”
However, Kramer noted down Dislulfiram, which is the same reason used to treat alcohol use disorder, according to the nih. “If you’re on drugs, then you go back and drink, you’re going to get the worst hangover of your life“He said.”And that is what makes it a strong prohibition of alcohol consumption. “ Therefore, if Dislulfiram is proven to help in treatment, researchers can look for other targeted therapies that inhibit redinoic acid and do not interfere with metabolic functions such as reducing alcohol.
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Rat eye test
When testing to see human patients, doctors can use a chart with different characters. So the researchers had to be creative when testing visual acuity in a roommate, who couldn’t read letters or speak English. They developed a program using images of black and white stripes on computer screens. They trained young mice with healthy retinas to recognize and respond to images. The mice have a genetic condition for retinal degeneration, which causes the loss of many photoreceptors when they are 5-8 weeks old. When this happened a month later, the researchers showed the pictures again, and the rats that had taken the diskulfiram responded to the picture. Meanwhile, the placebo group didn’t respond and didn’t seem to notice.
In the second phase of the study, the scientists examined the response of the mice’s brain to a programmed movie. They used special microscopes and fluorescent protein indicators. They found that mice treated with disulfiram had stronger and more reliable responses in certain scenes compared to the placebo group. “Treated mice saw better than mice without drugs. These particular mice cannot see pictures at all during this late stage of degeneration. I think that’s really amazing,Kramer said. “If a person with impaired vision was given disulfiram and their vision improved, even a little, that would be a very important part of the way that was lost. And that would be an important part of the mind that can reduce the development of drugs and a new program to help improve vision.”
FURTHER RESEARCH ON ACTIVATING RETIINOICIC ACID RECEPTORS
Investigators have already conducted similar tests with an experimental drug called BMS 493 that blocks redinoic acid receptors. They also use gene therapy to break these receptors. These studies seem to confirm the idea that inhibiting redinoic acid can improve irreversible damage. Before this treatment can be considered in the community, more research needs to be done to confirm this and investigate appropriate treatment plans. Also, BMS 493 is an investigational drug, not an FDA-regulated drug like disulfiram. Because DislulFiram is already approved by the FDA, it can enter the pharmaceutical market faster than a drug like BMS 493. This makes this new study more promising and exciting.
Disclaimer: This article was created with the help of AI and edited by a human for accuracy and clarity.
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