We have identified three drug targets for Wolfram syndrome in the past two years. These are MANF, Calpain 2, and IRE1. What is the difference between these three molecules. Here is a short summary.
- MANF: Enhances survival and proliferation of remaining cells.
- Caplain 2: Activates cells death signal in Wolfram and Diabetes. So we need an inhibitor.
- IRE1: Prevents the activation of cell death signals.
IRE1 and Calpain 2 are enzymes. So we need drugs that can control their activation levels.
MAFN is a secreted molecule. We can potentially use an artificial MANF (i.e., recombinant MANF) for treatment. Another pathway is to identify a receptor for MANF and develop a drug that can activate the MANF receptor.
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Take care,
Fumi Urano