X-Message-Number: 9696
From: Eugene Leitl <>
Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 18:00:29 +0400 (MSD)
Subject: ISCHAEMIA: BAF apoptosis blocker ; forward from bionet.neuroscience
References: <98512123230.~>

David Fulford-Brown writes:
[...]
 > NEW SCIENTIST ARTICLE
 > 
 > The full article appears in issue 9/5/98 p21 and in Journal of
 > Clinical Investigation.
 > 
 > A way may have been found to prevent brain injury due to lack of
 > oxygen. Cells starved of oxygen die, but not straight away. First,
 > chemical messages must be sent out, instructing the cells to die. 
 > 
 > David Holtzman and colleagues at Washington University, St Louis
 > attempted to block the cell self-destruct messages using a substance
 > called BAF.
 > 
 > Two lots of rats were subjected to decreased oxygen. Some were
 > subsequently given the BAF. Others weren't. Those rats who did not get
 > the BAF lost "about half the tissue in their cortex and hippocampus"
 > while those who had been treated  with BAF within 3 hours of cell
 > damage lost no more than 20%.
 > 
 > The article says that human trials of similar drugs may begin in a few
 > years. But I'm wondering if this treatment has any benefits for
 > fetuses with hydrocephalus (or even spina bifida!)?
 > 
 > Does anyone know of any similar drugs which are completing human
 > trials?
 > 
 > Please e-mail me or post replies in alt.support.spina-bifida. Thanks
 > for any and all help.
 > 
 > David F-B
 > 

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