Scientists in Brazil have discovered that a specific protein in the brain, called hnRNP A1, plays a key role in protecting nerve fibers and could be important in treating diseases like schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis (MS).
Their research, published in the Journal of Neurochemistry, focused on how this protein helps maintain the brain’s protective coating called myelin.
Myelin is like an insulating layer around nerves. It helps messages travel quickly and smoothly between brain cells.
Without it, these messages slow down or get lost, which can lead to serious problems. In diseases like multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia, this myelin coating is often damaged, a condition known as demyelination.
This new study was done at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil, using rats to model what happens in human brains. Researchers wanted to understand how myelin is formed and protected, and what role hnRNP A1 plays in that process.
The protein hnRNP A1 is involved in making other proteins by helping to shape messenger RNA, a molecule that gives cells instructions. Previous studies had already shown that hnRNP A1 appears in brain samples from people with schizophrenia, so the research team decided to study it more closely using a living animal model.
Caroline Brandão Teles, the lead researcher and a PhD student, explained that her interest in this protein started years ago when she noticed it kept showing up in studies on brain cells treated with antipsychotic medications. She and her team decided to explore what it does in oligodendrocytes — the brain cells that produce myelin.
To find out, the scientists triggered myelin loss in rats over several weeks and then allowed the brain to rebuild it. While this was happening, they studied the activity of hnRNP A1 and measured how much myelin was present.
They discovered that when the function of hnRNP A1 was disturbed, myelin production dropped significantly. This meant the protein was essential for keeping myelin intact.
Interestingly, even though there were changes happening at the molecular level in the rats’ brains, their behavior didn’t change during this stage. This was different from what usually happens in MS models, where both brain chemistry and behavior are affected.
This lack of behavioral changes in the schizophrenia model is important. According to Professor Daniel Martins-de-Souza, who leads the lab, it suggests that changes to this protein might happen very early in the development of schizophrenia — before symptoms even show up. That means it could be a key piece in understanding how the disease begins.
Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that causes symptoms like hallucinations, delusions, and problems with thinking clearly. Scientists still don’t know the exact cause, but they believe it is related to both genetic factors and brain changes. About 1% of the world’s population has schizophrenia — that’s roughly 1.6 million people in Brazil alone.
This research could open the door to new treatments for both schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis by focusing on how to support or fix the hnRNP A1 protein and keep myelin healthy.
The researchers now hope to explore how changes in this protein affect brain signaling and thinking abilities. If they can understand this link, it may lead to new therapies that target the disease before it causes lasting damage.
In summary, this study highlights the importance of hnRNP A1 in maintaining myelin, a crucial part of brain health. By understanding how this protein works, scientists are one step closer to finding better treatments for brain disorders like MS and schizophrenia.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about low choline intake linked to higher dementia risk, and how eating nuts can affect your cognitive ability.
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The research findings can be found in Journal of Neurochemistry.
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