Our new publication in Science Translational Medicine uncovers that denervation is a driver of 15-PGDH, a gerozyme that is up regulated with aging. The same phenotype could be found in human neurogenic myopathies including motor neuron diseases such as Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Importantly, we found that inhibition of 15-PGDH with a small molecule compound can stimulate motor nerve regeneration after acute sciatic nerve crush injury and in old mice where neuromuscular junctions are chronically partially denervated.
This demonstrates a potential drug treatment to facilitate the regeneration of peripheral nerves and stabilize muscle function after traumatic injury or chronic degeneration. This is a major step in recovering motor function for many people with debilitating neuromuscular disorders.
This work was conceptualized by Dr. Wang when he was a senior scientist in Dr. Helen Blau's lab at Stanford and continued here at Sanford Burnham Prebys. Shiqi Su, our graduate student is an co-author on this paper! Many thanks to our co-authors and collaborators!
Find the paper here: