Molecules identified 'will help fight Huntington's'

Three molecules key to fighting Huntington's disease have been identified by scientists, according to reports.

Researchers from the Buck Institute for Age Research and Yale University have identified three small molecules that inhibit the activity of enzymes that break down cells.

These enzymes, known as caspases, have previously been implicated as significant in the progression of Huntington's disease neuronal death.

Dr Lisa Ellerby of the Buck Institute said that the caspase inhibitors multitasked to suppress the proteolysis of Htt and rescue HD neurons that have already begun to fail.

"We believe this is going to help us move the field forward because now we can test these compounds in live animals," she said.

"Up until this point we have not identified a caspase inhibitor that has acted selectively against the toxic effects of the Htt mutation."

This comes after news that the BBC is to make a documentary on how Huntington's disease affects the family of those who have it.

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