Colder temperatures help cells to clear toxic proteins tied to ALS

Cold temperatures can activate a complex called the proteasome that cells use to clear themselves of unneeded proteins, including the protein clumps associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a new study reports. In cell models of the disease, exposure to cold temperatures for a prolonged time significantly lowered the…

Discovery of Link Between Cellular Hallmarks of ALS May Lead to New Therapies

By blocking the activity of the proteasome — a complex of enzymes responsible for the destruction of unnecessary or damaged proteins — dipeptide repeat (DPR) proteins associated with C9ORF72 gene repeat expansions (the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) can travel between nerve cells…