A team of Spanish researchers, led by Prof. Juan Carlos Izpisúa and Dr. Pedro Guillén amongst several others, and supported by Fundación MAPFRE, have discovered a new function of protein DGCR8, which is key to reducing the severity of illnesses such as osteoarthritis.
There is currently no cure for osteoarthritis, an illness that affects the mobility and quality of life of 242 million people worldwide. Osteoarthritis is known to be a preliminary cause of permanent disability.
It is thought that this new function of protein DGCR8, which prevents cellular deterioration and delays aging, could help bones and cartilage heal more effectively and help reduce muscle inflammation.
The project, entitled “Stabilizing Heterochromatin by DGCR8 Alleviates Senescence and Osteoarthritis,” was recently published in prestigious journal Nature and offers deep insight into the molecular and cellular mechanisms associated with aging, paving the way toward solutions to degenerative illnesses that will contribute to improving the health of countless people.
Fundación MAPFRE has been contributing to improving the quality of life and health of people for over 40 years, allocating over 2 million Euros towards research each year.
One highlight of the more than 1,000 projects funded since 1979 was the project carried out by Dr. Vaquero, Head of Neurosurgery at the University Hospital of Puerta de Hierro de Majadahonda (Madrid), to treat spinal injuries with cell therapy
Il-Fundazzjoni MAPFRE tappoġġa proġett ta’ riċerka dwar deterjorazzjoni ta’ ċelluli u l-anzjanità
Tim ta’ riċerkaturi Spanjoli, immexxi mill-Professur Juan Carlos Izpisúa u Dr Pedro Guillén fost oħrajn, u appoġġjat minn Fundazzjoni MAPFRE, għamlu skoperta tal-proteina DGCR8, li għandha rwol importanti biex tnaqqas is-severità ta’ mard bħal osteoartrite.
Sa issa, ma nstabet l-ebda kura għall-osteoartrite, marda li għandha impatt fuq il-mobilità u l-kwalità tal-ħajja ta’ 242 miljun persuna madwar id-dinja. L-osteoartrite hija kawża preliminari li tista’ twassal għal diżabilità permanenti.
Il-Proteina DGCR8 kapaċi tipprevjeni d-detorjorazzjoni ta’ ċelluli u tippreveni l-anzjanita bikrija, billi tgħin l-għadam jfiequ b’mod aktar effettiv waqt li tgħin biex tnaqqas l-infjamazzjoni tal-muskoli.
Il-Proġett, imexxi mit-tim Spanjol, intitolat “Stabilizing Heterochromatin by DGCR8 Alleviates Senescence and Osteoarthritis”, kien pubblikat fil-ġurnal prestiġjuz Nature u joffri dettalji dwar il-mekkaniżmi ċellulari u mard deġenerattiv, bl-għan li jwassal għal soluzzjonijiet li jtejbu kwalità ta’ ħajja ta’ persuni maħkuma minn din il-marda.
Il-Fundazzjoni MAPFRE ilha tikkontribwixxi għat-titjib tal-kwalità tal-ħajja u s-saħħa għal aktar minn 40 sena, u kull sena talloka aktar minn 2 miljuni għal riċerka f’dan il-qasam. Wieħed minn aktar minn elf proġett li kienu iffinanzjati mill-1979, kien dak ta’ Dr Vaquero, Kap ta’ Newrokiruġija fl-isptar Puerta de Hierro de Majadahonda, f’Madrid, liema proġett kellu l-għan li jikkoreġi ċelluli fl-ispina.
