A new strategy targets multiple proteins to restore cell function A new approach to protein degradation improved mitochondrial function and neuronal survival in cell models of several mitochondrial disorders. Written byBree Foster, PhD

A new strategy targets multiple proteins to restore cell function A new approach to protein degradation improved mitochondrial function and neuronal survival in cell models of several mitochondrial disorders. Written byBree Foster, PhD https://www.drugdiscoverynews.com/a-new-strategy-targets-multiple-proteins-to-restore-cell-function-17609 Most drugs are designed to inhibit a particular protein or interfere with its activity. But in diseases involving widespread cellular dysfunction, targeting a single protein may not be enough. What if, instead, researchers could activate the cell’s own machinery to remove several problematic proteins at once? In a study published in Science, researchers describe a strategy called stimulated protein degradation (SPD), which activates a cellular protein-clearance system to accelerate the breakdown of multiple proteins. In cellular models of mitochondrial disorders, the approach improved mitochondrial function and helped neurons survive.