Engineered Protein can be Harbinger for New Anti- Inflammatory Treatment

A new protein molecule derived from the growth factor progranulin, which may provide the basis for new therapies in inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis has been developed by scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center. "The development of this protein extends our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that drive the growth factors and cytokines control of cartilage development and arthritis," said Chuan-ju Liu, the lead researcher.

"Whether the protein accounts for all of the anti-inflammatory effects we observed in the study needs to replicated, but we are very encouraged by these initial results," he said.

The molecule created and used in this study, called ATSTTRIN (antagonist of TNF/TNFR signaling via targeting to TNF receptors), is a peptide constructed from segments of proteins that originate within a cell, which has a high affinity and specificity for binding to tumor necrosis factor receptors (TNFR).

The researchers suggest that this progranulin-derived protein could result in alternative treatments to those suffering from chronic autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's diseases, ulcerative colitis, ankylosing spondylitis, plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

The study is published in the March 10, 2011 issue of Science.

Source-ANI