by Janice Wood

A Belgian neuroscientist was able to use vitamin K2 to eliminate the effect of one of the genetic defects that cause Parkinson's disease.

"Our study suggests that vitamin K2 administration may help Parkinson's patients. However, further work is needed to understand this better," said Patrik Verstreken, associated with the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology and KU Leuven. He also worked with colleagues at Northern Illinois University on research published online in the journal Science.

Verstreken explains what happens to Parkinson's patients using the example of a factory: "If we think of the cells as small factories, the mitochondria are the powerhouse that provides the energy needed to operate them. In Parkinson's patients, there is a disruption in the activity of the mitochondria and the transfer of electrons, so the mitochondria have stopped producing the amount of energy needed by the cells. To the fact This has weighty consequences, as the cells in certain parts of the brain will begin to die and disrupt communication between neurons.The results are the typical symptoms of Parkinson's disease: lack of movement (akinesia), tremors, and muscle stiffness.

The exact cause of Parkinson's is unknown, but scientists have been able to identify several genetic defects that characterize Parkinson's patients, including mutations in PINK1 and Parkin, both of which cause, according to the researcher, a decrease in mitochondrial activity.

Verstreken and his team used in their study fruit flies with a genetic defect in PINK1 or Parkin, similar to that associated with Parkinson's disease. They found that flies with a mutation in PINK1 or Parkin lost their ability to fly.

Upon closer examination, they found that the mitochondria in these flies were damaged, just like in Parkinson's patients. Because of this, they produced less intercellular energy - energy that flies need to fly. When the flies were given vitamin K2, energy production in their mitochondria was restored and the flies' ability to fly improved. The scientists determined that the production of energy was renewed because vitamin K2 improved the transfer of electrons in the mitochondria.

The scientists say in conclusion that vitamin K2 may inspire hope for a new treatment for Parkinson's disease, since even in Parkinson's patients with a mutation in PINK1 or Parkin the mitochondria are defective.

Translation: Varda Azoulay Translation date: 1.1.2013
מקור: The Flanders Institute for Biotechnology