烟酸（维生素B3）可能缓解帕金森症
(2018-06-07 09:32:39)
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标签： 英国每日邮报
分类： 翻译练习
杰克•弗兰那根 2018年6月 6日
一项研究表明，治疗帕金森氏症的方法可能与维生素B3有关。德国研究人员发现，服用这种维生素可以阻止神经细胞死亡。帕金森氏症是一种渐进性的神经疾病，它会破坏大脑中控制运动的部分细胞。英国约有14万人患有帕金森症，美国约有100万人患有帕金森症，目前还没有治愈方法。图宾根大学和赫蒂临床脑研究所的新研究可能会改变这种情况，为治疗提供一个新的起点。
这项研究是如何进行的?
将取自帕金森氏症患者的皮肤细胞转化为神经细胞进行实验。这些细胞中含有GBA基因，这是一种经常在患者身上发现的风险基因，它会导致肌肉僵硬、行动迟缓、颤抖、睡眠障碍、慢性疲劳、生活质量受损，可能导致严重的残疾。正如预期的那样，线粒体，被称为细胞的动力室，在这些神经细胞中没有正常发挥作用。该研究发表在《细胞报告》(Cell Reports)杂志上。由米凯拉•戴莱迪博士领导的研究人员喂养了烟酰胺核糖体细胞，这是维生素B3的一种形式。这对形成新的线粒体很重要。给神经细胞一定剂量的维生素可以形成新的线粒体，增加能量的产生。
第二个实验
研究人员随后决定给果蝇喂食含有GBA基因烟酰胺核糖体蝇，观察其在活的生物体中的作用。富含营养的果蝇能够延缓帕金森氏症的影响，减少神经细胞的死亡。在评论这项研究时，戴莱迪博士说，使用B3可能是治疗的新起点。科学家们仍然不知道到底是什么导致了帕金森症的症状开始发展。最近的研究表明，帕金森氏症患者的大脑部分受损，线粒体受损。戴莱迪博士补充说，新的研究证实了这一证据，表明线粒体的缺失确实发挥了重要作用。
英国帕金森氏症研究沟通部门的负责人克莱尔•贝尔告诉《每日邮报》，这些新发现建立在先前的实验的基础上，表明烟酸对保持脑细胞健康和正常工作的重要性。与之前的研究一样，这项研究是在实验室中使用皮肤细胞和果蝇进行的，所以我们现在真的需要了解这些令人鼓舞的发现是否适用于人类。
美国目前正在进行一项临床试验，研究烟酸对帕金森患者的治疗效果，预计将在2019年末得出结果。如果大量服用某些维生素，可能会产生副作用，在决定服用任何形式的膳食补充剂之前，一定要咨询健康专家的意见。
帕金森病是什么?
帕金森氏症每500人中就有一人患有此病，英国约有12.7万人患有此病。数据显示，100万美国人受到影响。它会导致肌肉僵硬、行动迟缓、颤抖、睡眠障碍、慢性疲劳、生活质量受损，并可能导致严重的残疾。这是一种渐进性的神经系统疾病，它会破坏大脑中控制运动的部分细胞。已知的患者由于神经细胞的死亡而减少了多巴胺的供应。目前还没有治愈方法，也没有办法阻止这种疾病的发展，数百项科学试验正在进行，试图改变这种状况。这一疾病在2016年夺去了拳王阿里的生命。
原文网址 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-5811903/B3-Vitamin-slow-effects-Parkinsons-restoring-power-cells-bodies.html
Hope for Parkinson’s patients as scientists discover taking vitamin B3 can stop nerve cells from dying off in what could be a ’starting point’ for treatment
• The Vitamin B3 could also help restore function in nerve cells with Parkinson’s
• The study found that introducing the vitamin restored the cell’s ’power cells’
• An experiment with flies replicated the results, in which fewer nerve cells died
• ’Vitamin B3 may be a new starting-point for treatment,’ a study author said
By JACK FLANAGAN FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 14:26 BST, 6 June 2018 | UPDATED: 20:30 BST, 6 June 2018
A cure for Parkinson’s disease could revolve around vitamin B3, a study suggests.
German researchers have found that taking a form of the vitamin can stop nerve cells from dying off.
Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition that destroys cells in the part of the brain that controls movement.
Around 140,000 people in the UK and nearly one million in the US suffer from Parkinson’s. But there is currently no cure.
The new University of Tübingen and Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research study could change that and offers a ’new starting point’ for treatment.
How was the study carried out?
Skin cell samples were taken from Parkinson’s disease patients and turned into nerve cells for the experiment.
The cells contained the GBA gene, a risk gene frequently found in people with the disease, which causes muscle stiffness, slowness of movement, tremors, sleep disturbance, chronic fatigue, an impaired quality of life and can lead to severe disability.
As expected, the mitochondria – described as the powerhouses of cells - in these nerve cells did not function properly.
They also produced less energy than normal cells, according to the study, published in the journal Cell Reports.
The researchers, led by Dr Michela Deleidi, ’fed’ the cells nicotinamide riboside, a form of the vitamin B3. It is important in the formation of new mitochondria.
Giving the nerve cells doses of the vitamin allowed new mitochondria to form and energy production increased.
A second experiment
The researchers then decided to feed flies with the GBA gene nicotinamide riboside to observe the effects in a living organism.
Flies with the enriched feed were able to stave off the effects of Parkinson’s longer and showed less nerve cell die-off.
Commenting on the study, Dr Deleidi said: ’Administering [B3] may be a new starting-point for treatment.’
Scientists still do not know exactly what causes the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease to start developing.
However, recent research suggests the parts of the brain that die off in Parkinson’s cases have damaged mitochondria.
The new study backs up the evidence and ’suggests the loss of mitochondria does indeed play a significant role’, Dr Deleidi added.
Claire Bale, Head of Research Communications at Parkinson’s UK, told the MailOnline: ’These new findings build upon previous experiments which show how important niacin – a form of vitamin B3 – may be for keeping brain cells healthy and working properly.
’However, as with previous studies, this research was carried out in the lab using skin cells and fruit flies so we now really need to understand whether these encouraging findings hold true in people.
’There is currently a clinical trial underway in the US investigating the effect of treatment with niacin in people with Parkinson’s and results are expected in late 2019.
’Some vitamins, when taken in large doses, can have side effects so it’s vital that people consult a health professional for advice before deciding to take any form of dietary supplement.’
WHAT IS PARKINSON’S? THE INCURABLE DISEASE THAT STRUCK BOXER MUHAMMAD ALI
Parkinson’s disease affects one in 500 people, and around 127,000 people in the UK live with the condition.
Figures also suggest one million Americans also suffer.
It causes muscle stiffness, slowness of movement, tremors, sleep disturbance, chronic fatigue, an impaired quality of life and can lead to severe disability.
It is a progressive neurological condition that destroys cells in the part of the brain that controls movement.
Sufferers are known to have diminished supplies of dopamine because nerve cells that make it have died.
There is currently no cure and no way of stopping the progression of the disease, but hundreds of scientific trials are underway to try and change that.
The disease claimed the life of boxing legend Muhammad Ali in 2016
