T1diabetes and celiac disease, Zonulin pathway research looks good

[caligirl]

Monday, May 23, 2005; Page E05

Name: Alba Therapeutics

Location: Baltimore

Funding: The company raised $2 million in seed money from Astellas
Pharma, formerly Fujisawa Pharmaceutical; Esperance BioVentures; and
angel investors. Alba also received $300,000 from the Maryland
Business and Economic Development Department; $75,000 from
Maryland's Technology Development Corp.; and $70,000 from the
University of Maryland's Maryland Industrial Partnerships program.
The company is in discussions with several venture funds for a
Series A funding round.

Big idea: Alba is working on cloning a receptor for a protein called
zonulin that regulates structures in the human body known as tight
junctions. Tight junctions sit between cells, acting as barriers in
the linings of the lungs, blood vessels, skin cells and the
gastrointestinal tract. They help keep the body's fluids where they
belong. Alba is developing and commercializing drugs based on
zonulin.

How it works: "Zonulin is the garage-door opener that causes the
junctions to open," said Blake Paterson, co-founder and chief
executive. He said it can be used to deliver drugs, such as insulin
through the gut, or to block the passage of fluids containing
antigens that cause autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes,
multiple sclerosis and celiac disease, commonly known as gluten
intolerance.

"We're focusing initially on a blocker," Paterson said. "Our first
two diseases are celiac disease and Type 1 diabetes." Paterson said
Alba has been able to "shut down" Type 1 diabetes in rats by
manipulating the zonulin pathway. "We have great hopes that this
will be taken as a pill before meals to allow us to treat celiac
disease, then Type 1 diabetes."

Where the idea was hatched: Alessio Fasano, a professor at the
University of Maryland, discovered the role of zonulin. Alba
Therapeutics spun off from the university last year.

Founded: April 2004

Who's in charge: Blake M. Paterson, co-founder and chief executive;
Alessio Fasano, co-founder and chief scientific officer.

Employees: Six. Company executives anticipate "ramping up
dramatically" after they complete their Series A funding round and
hope to move to a new space in the UMB Biopark in Baltimore, which
is under construction.

Web site: http://www.albatherapeutics.com

What the name means: "Alba means 'the dawn' or 'the new awakening'
in Latin, Italian and Spanish," Paterson said.

Quote: "We're turning the entire science upside down," Paterson
said. "We're proposing a radical departure from the field of
autoimmunity."

[LynzM]

1. Wow....

As a Type 1 diabetic, anything that proposes an alternative cure not requiring long-term immunosuppresive therapy is worth keeping an eye on...

[caligirl]

4. My son and brother in law have T1D and both my sons have celiac.

Hope everyone will pm others they know here about this. I can't remeber the name of one person here, I think her hubby is a TiD. She has the pictures of her dogs on all her posts. Does anyone recall her name. I think this is something she might be interested in.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. Not to be a party pooper... but I would rather

do the coenzyme Q10, Pycnogenol, Lipoic Acid, and other antioxidant route than take a drug that might be pulled in a year or so.


THIS IS WHAT I DO, diabetes runs in my family... and no, to my knowledge, I am not a diabetic.

1: Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol. 2005;27(1):109-22. Related Articles, Links

Effects of antioxidants coenzyme Q10 and lipoic acid on interleukin-1beta-mediated inhibition of glucose-stimulated insulin release from cultured mouse pancreatic islets.

Schroeder MM, Belloto RJ Jr, Hudson RA, McInerney MF.

Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Toledo, BO 2833, MS# 606, 2801 W. Bancroft St., Toledo, OH 43606-3390, USA.

During the development of the autoimmune disease, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) islet cell death is thought to be mediated in part by oxygen and nitrogen free radicals and interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta), secreted by activated macrophages. Free radicals disrupt the homeostasis of biological systems by damaging major constituent molecules such as lipids, proteins, and DNA. Islet cells are quite susceptible to oxidative damage due to low levels of antioxidant enzymes involved in free radical consumption. If IDDM is associated with an imbalance of oxidative stresses and antioxidant responses in islet cells, then it may be possible to ameliorate disease by supplementating antioxidant defenses. In this study, the antioxidants coenzyme Q10 and lipoic acid were able to block IL-1beta-mediated inhibition of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from islet cells at 10(-12) M and 10(-9) M, respectively.

PMID: 15803864


2: Bonnefont-Rousselot D. Related Articles, Links
Abstract The role of antioxidant micronutrients in the prevention of diabetic complications.
Treat Endocrinol. 2004;3(1):41-52. Review.
PMID: 15743112

3: Dene BA, Maritim AC, Sanders RA, Watkins JB 3rd. Related Articles, Links
Abstract Effects of antioxidant treatment on normal and diabetic rat retinal enzyme activities.
J Ocul Pharmacol Ther. 2005 Feb;21(1):28-35.
PMID: 15718825

4: de Champlain J, Wu R, Girouard H, Karas M, EL Midaoui A, Laplante MA, Wu L. Related Articles, Links
Abstract Oxidative stress in hypertension.
Clin Exp Hypertens. 2004 Oct-Nov;26(7-8):593-601. Review.
PMID: 15702613

5: Berryman AM, Maritim AC, Sanders RA, Watkins JB 3rd. Related Articles, Links
Abstract Influence of treatment of diabetic rats with combinations of pycnogenol, beta-carotene, and alpha-lipoic acid on parameters of oxidative stress.
J Biochem Mol Toxicol. 2004;18(6):345-52.
PMID: 15674846

6: Bojunga J, Nowak D, Mitrou PS, Hoelzer D, Zeuzem S, Chow KU. Related Articles, Links
Abstract Antioxidative treatment prevents activation of death-receptor- and mitochondrion-dependent apoptosis in the hearts of diabetic rats.
Diabetologia. 2004 Dec;47(12):2072-80. Epub 2004 Dec 10.
PMID: 15662549

7: Braune S. Related Articles, Links
Abstract
MMW Fortschr Med. 2004 Dec 9;146(50):49-51. Review. German.
PMID: 15658522

8: Ames BN, Liu J. Related Articles, Links
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Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Nov;1033:108-16. Review.
PMID: 15591008

9: Song KH, Lee WJ, Koh JM, Kim HS, Youn JY, Park HS, Koh EH, Kim MS, Youn JH, Lee KU, Park JY. Related Articles, Links
Abstract alpha-Lipoic acid prevents diabetes mellitus in diabetes-prone obese rats.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2005 Jan 7;326(1):197-202.
PMID: 15567171

10: Thirunavukkarasu V, Anitha Nandhini AT, Anuradha CV. Related Articles, Links
Abstract Lipoic acid attenuates hypertension and improves insulin sensitivity, kallikrein activity and nitrite levels in high fructose-fed rats.
J Comp Physiol . 2004 Nov;174(8):587-92. Epub 2004 Sep 29.
PMID: 15565449

11: Park KG, Kim MJ, Kim HS, Lee SJ, Song DK, Lee IK. Related Articles, Links
Abstract Prevention and treatment of macroangiopathy: focusing on oxidative stress.
Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2004 Dec;66 Suppl 1:S57-62.
PMID: 15563982

12: Kowluru RA, Odenbach S. Related Articles, Links
Free Full Text Effect of long-term administration of alpha-lipoic acid on retinal capillary cell death and the development of retinopathy in diabetic rats.
Diabetes. 2004 Dec;53(12):3233-8.
PMID: 15561955

13: Negrisanu G, Rosu M, Bolte B, Lefter D, Dabelea D. Related Articles, Links
Abstract Effects of 3-month treatment with the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid in diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Rom J Intern Med. 1999 Jul-Sep;37(3):297-306.
PMID: 15532308

14: Wepner U. Related Articles, Links
No abstract
MMW Fortschr Med. 2004 Jul 8;146(27-28):6, 8. German. No abstract available.
PMID: 15526650

15: Bruckner I, Bustan C, Adamescu E, Dobjanschi C. Related Articles, Links
Abstract Diabetic neuropathy--choices of treatment.
Rom J Intern Med. 2002;40(1-4):53-60.
PMID: 15526540

16: Baydas G, Donder E, Kiliboz M, Sonkaya E, Tuzcu M, Yasar A, Nedzvetskii VS. Related Articles, Links
Abstract Neuroprotection by alpha-lipoic acid in streptozotocin-induced diabetes.
Biochemistry (Mosc). 2004 Sep;69(9):1001-5.
PMID: 15521814

17: Al Ghafli MH, Padmanabhan R, Kataya HH, Berg B. Related Articles, Links
Abstract Effects of alpha-lipoic acid supplementation on maternal diabetes-induced growth retardation and congenital anomalies in rat fetuses.
Mol Cell Biochem. 2004 Jun;261(1-2):123-35.
PMID: 15362495

18: Bitar MS, Wahid S, Pilcher CW, Al-Saleh E, Al-Mulla F. Related Articles, Links
Abstract Alpha-lipoic acid mitigates insulin resistance in Goto-Kakizaki rats.
Horm Metab Res. 2004 Aug;36(8):542-9.
PMID: 15326564

19: Alderson NL, Chachich ME, Frizzell N, Canning P, Metz TO, Januszewski AS, Youssef NN, Stitt AW, Baynes JW, Thorpe SR. Related Articles, Links
Abstract Effect of antioxidants and ACE inhibition on chemical modification of proteins and progression of nephropathy in the streptozotocin diabetic rat.
Diabetologia. 2004 Aug;47(8):1385-95. Epub 2004 Jul 28.
PMID: 15309289

20: Sun L, Zhang JS. Related Articles, Links
Abstract
Zhonghua Yan Ke Za Zhi. 2004 Mar;40(3):193-6. Chinese.
PMID: 15307993

[freeplessinseattle]

3. I'm going to pm tavalon about this!! just in case she misses it (nt

[SidDithers]

5. Kick...

for my celiac daughter

Sid