Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania discovered a brain protein that could be key to slowing Parkinson's disease. The study, printed in Neuron, shows that stopping this protein with lab-made antibodies might help keep the disease from getting worse in its early stages.
What the Protein Does
The protein is called GPNMB. It seems to help harmful damage move from one brain cell to another. If we block GPNMB, the damage may stay put, giving the brain a chance to heal.
How Parkinson's Grows Inside the Brain
More than one million Americans live with Parkinson's, and about 90,000 new cases appear each year. Scientists know the disease spreads step by step. A sticky protein called alpha‑synuclein forms clumps inside nerve cells. These clumps hurt the cells and then travel to nearby healthy cells, spreading the problem.
As more brain areas get hit, symptoms get worse. People may shake, have trouble walking, lose balance, or find it hard to swallow.
Current Care and Its Limits
medicines like levodopa and devices such as deep‑brain stimulators can ease the symptoms, but none can stop the disease from advancing.
The Role of Brain Immune Cells
Earlier work pointed to GPNMB as a player in moving alpha‑synuclein between cells. The new study shows that microglia—tiny immune cells in the brain—make lots of GPNMB when nearby neurons are damaged. Enzymes then cut a piece off GPNMB, letting it float around and speed up the spread.
In lab experiments, scientists created antibodies that lock onto GPNMB. These antibodies stopped the harmful alpha‑synuclein clumps from jumping to other cells.
Human Brain Checks Support the Idea
The team examined 1,675 brain samples from a local brain bank. People with genetic signs that cause higher GPNMB levels also showed more alpha‑synuclein damage. This link did not appear with other brain diseases like Alzheimer’s, suggesting GPNMB is especially important for Parkinson's.
While the findings are exciting, more work is needed before any treatment reaches patients. Researchers remain hopeful that blocking GPNMB could become a new way to slow Parkinson's.
This research was funded by the National Institutes of Health and several private foundations.