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St. Jude’s Hospital investigators have discovered a possible breakthrough in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and they say it offers some insight into the currently unexplainable cases. An enzyme called GST pi is the molecule that prevents damage to the part of the brain, substantia nigra, which can lead to the disease. The article found on St. Jude’s website and also the February 1 early online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences refers to the blocking enzyme as
“a sentry at the crossroads of several biochemical pathways, any one of which can lead to Parkinson’s disease.”
Apparently Parkinson’s disease is caused by the loss of dopamine when the nerve cells die in the substantia nigra, a part of the brain. Dopamine is a nerve-signaling molecule that helps control movement of the muscles. The lack of dopamine in these cells, referred to as dopaminergic neurons, causes trembling, lack of coordination, loss of muscle control.
It is interesting to note that Parkinson’s disease, characterized by the degeneration of cells, can be initiated by external provocation like exposure to environmental toxins such as pesticides and herbicides. Cell suicide, called apoptosis, can also be internally triggered by unique stresses in the cell when the molecule that usually prevents these “suicides” is missing. Apparently mouse models studied at St. Jude were responsible for these findings.
The antioxidant GST pi’s job is to protect the cell from death. These research findings suggest measuring this enzyme’s levels and using treatments that increase GST pi levels in the brain could be effective in determining and preventing the risk for developing this disease or reducing its severity in individuals. There seems to be a genetic predisposition to the disease in some individuals which is then triggered by exposure to pesticides and herbicides.
Since I live on a farm I have to wonder if there is any correlation between living on a farm and having a higher incidence of this disease. You see most farmers, including us, use pesticides and herbicides in our fields to protect our crops from being devoured by bugs, ruined by disease or overrun by weeds. We also use pesticides on the cows to kill lice, fleas, ticks and to keep the flies from annoying them and biting them. It makes me ask if perhaps their comfort isn’t worth the possible cost of personal health?
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