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Article: New genetic cause of Lou Gehrig disease identified.
- Article from:
- Genomics & Genetics Weekly
- Article date:
- July 25, 2003
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2003 JUL 25 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers have identified a new gene, VEGF that, when mutated, results in an increased risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
In mice with damaged motoneurons, introduction of the VEGF protein has a protective effect on the damaged cells, suggesting the therapeutic potential of VEGF. Although ALS can be found within particular families, most cases occur without any family history and are thought to be due to complex interaction between different genes and environmental factors.
In this new study published in the August 2003 issue of Nature Genetics, Peter Carmeliet and colleagues examined the ...