A genetic breakthrough will pave the way for a range of new drugs to tackle age-related diseases, it was claimed last night.
The researchers, from the UK and Germany, say their findings could make it possible to control a protein called NADPH Oxidase, which, they say, is involved in most diseases of ageing, including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and dementia.
Their research has led them to a single nucleotide polymorphism that controls the activation of the protein and is known to protect against cardiovascular disease.
The findings were originally reported in the journal Circulation.
The researchers say they have already developed drugs that could prevent the activation of the protein.
The research has involved the universities of Surrey and Reading in the UK and of Cologne in Germany together with the Royal Berkshire Hospital, UK.
Surrey University’s director of post-graduate research Dr Brendan Howlin said: “This breakthrough could have a revolutionary impact on healthcare and individuals by tackling two of the key challenges in healthcare today: an ageing population and a growing requirement for personalised medicine.
"Since the initial research, we have developing a series of drugs that prevent the activation process, and are now working on bringing these drugs to market.”
C242T Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism Inhibits Inflammatory Oxidative Damage to Endothelial Cells and Vessels Circulation May 2016; doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.116.021993 [abstract]
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