Researchers from the Universities of Edinburgh and Oxford have shown that terazosin, a treatment for prostatitis and hypertension, protects the nervous system from motor neuron disease, many of which die within three years of the onset of symptoms. Article published in the journal EBioMedicine.
Terazosin has previously shown potential efficacy in increasing energy production in models of stroke and Parkinson’s disease. To find out if this drug could protect the brain from motor neuron disease (MND), the scientists focused on the PGK1 enzyme that terazosin raises. This enzyme plays a role in energy production in cells. By mimicking MND in zebrafish, the authors showed that both increasing PGK1 in genetically modified zebrafish and treating them with terazosin improved survival and slowed stroke progression.
The team also grew motor neurons in a petri dish and showed that terazosin protects these cells by increasing their energy levels.
MND is a group of rare diseases in which motor neurons are destroyed for an unknown reason, causing patients to gradually lose muscle function and become paralyzed. It is known that there is a decrease in the energy production of neurons in the early stages of the disease. If there is not enough energy, neurons cannot transmit signals to muscles efficiently.
The team is already starting a feasibility study of the drug in 50 MND patients. They also plan to examine the effect of terazosin on key indicators of disease progression. If this trial is successful, they will consider starting a full clinical trial.