Lurking in the layers of the human appendix lie deposits of alpha-synuclein, a protein prone to gumminess, like sticky rice. Known mostly for its clumping in the brains of people with Parkinson’s disease, alpha-synuclein aggregates found in the appendixes of healthy people made headlines a few weeks ago.
Isn’t the appendix fairly useless, even dangerous when inflamed? Is it also a gateway to a brain disease?
Actually, a link between the Parkinson’s protein and the appendix has been known for a few years. Now, new experiments reported in Science Translational Medicine confirm the connection and suggest a protective role for appendectomy. But rather than advising people to shed their appendixes, the researchers see their findings as opening up a new target for drug discovery for Parkinson’s.
“We have shown that the appendix is a hub for the accumulation of clumped forms of alpha-synuclein proteins, which are implicated in Parkinson’s disease. This knowledge will be invaluable as we explore new prevention and treatment strategies,” said Bryan Killinger, first author of the report and a post-doctoral researcher in the laboratory of Viviane Labrie at the Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Research Institute in Grand Rapids.
The much-maligned appendix is quite active. It produces 71 percent of all of the nearly 20,000 types of human proteins, so it must be doing something. The most abundant 200 proteins also are prominent in the spleen, tonsils and lymph nodes, creating a quartet of body parts that protect us from infection. Plus, the tiny organ regulates the microbiomes of the small and large intestines, serving as a reserve to replenish resident bacteria........To Read More......
Isn’t the appendix fairly useless, even dangerous when inflamed? Is it also a gateway to a brain disease?
Actually, a link between the Parkinson’s protein and the appendix has been known for a few years. Now, new experiments reported in Science Translational Medicine confirm the connection and suggest a protective role for appendectomy. But rather than advising people to shed their appendixes, the researchers see their findings as opening up a new target for drug discovery for Parkinson’s.
“We have shown that the appendix is a hub for the accumulation of clumped forms of alpha-synuclein proteins, which are implicated in Parkinson’s disease. This knowledge will be invaluable as we explore new prevention and treatment strategies,” said Bryan Killinger, first author of the report and a post-doctoral researcher in the laboratory of Viviane Labrie at the Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Research Institute in Grand Rapids.
The much-maligned appendix is quite active. It produces 71 percent of all of the nearly 20,000 types of human proteins, so it must be doing something. The most abundant 200 proteins also are prominent in the spleen, tonsils and lymph nodes, creating a quartet of body parts that protect us from infection. Plus, the tiny organ regulates the microbiomes of the small and large intestines, serving as a reserve to replenish resident bacteria........To Read More......
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