In studies with mouse and human tissue, as well as live mice, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report that a snag in the normal process of cleaning up broken DNA in brain cells may hasten the progression of Parkinson’s disease. Specifically, the researchers found that a protein dubbed «STING» responds to cleanup signals in brain cells damaged by Parkinson’s disease by creating a cycle of inflammation that may accelerate the disease’s progression.
‘STING’ protein’s efforts to clean up brain cell damage may speed Parkinson’s disease progress
In studies with mouse and human tissue, as well as live mice, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report that a snag in the normal process of cleaning up broken DNA in brain cells may hasten the progression of Parkinson's disease. Specifically, the researchers found that a protein dubbed "STING" responds to cleanup signals in brain cells damaged by Parkinson's disease by creating a cycle of inflammation that may accelerate the disease's progression.