Entries by The Snow Foundation

Liraglutide, 7,8-DHF and their co-treatment prevents loss of vision and cognitive decline in a Wolfram syndrome rat model

Publication: nature.com | Publication Date: January 26, 2021 Authors: Kadri Seppa, Toomas Jagomäe, Kaia Grete Kukker, Riin Reimets, Marko Pastak, Eero Vasar, Anton Terasmaa & Mario Plaas Abstract Wolfram syndrome (WS) is a monogenic progressive neurodegenerative disease and is characterized by various neurological symptoms, such as optic nerve atrophy, loss of vision, cognitive decline, memory […]

iPScells for treatment of WS

Publication: diabetesjournals.org | Publication Date: February 13, 2014 Authors: Fumihiko Urano Wolfram syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder with clinical signs apparent in early childhood. This condition is characterized by childhood-onset diabetes, optic nerve atrophy, deafness, diabetes insipidus, and neurodegeneration, and it results in death in middle adulthood.

GLP-1R agonists demonstrate potential to treat Wolfram syndrome in human preclinical models

Publication: Diabetologia | Publication Date: March 30, 2023 Authors: Vyron Gorgogietas, Bahareh Rajaei, Chae Heeyoung, Bruno J. Santacreu, Sandra Marín-Cañas, Paraskevi Salpea, Toshiaki Sawatani, Anyishai Musuaya, María N. Arroyo, Cristina Moreno-Castro, Khadija Benabdallah, Celine Demarez, Sanna Toivonen, Cristina Cosentino, Nathalie Pachera, Maria Lytrivi, Ying Cai, Lode Carnel, Cris Brown, Fumihiko Urano, Piero Marchetti, Patrick Gilon, […]

Gene Therapy Updates – Prime Editing

Publication: wolframsyndrome.wustl.edu | Publication Date: September 18, 2022 Authors: Fumihiko Urano I have some exciting updates on our gene therapy development. The root cause of Wolfram syndrome is pathogenic changes in the WFS1 gene. Therefore, correcting these changes in the WFS1 gene is the best way to treat Wolfram syndrome.

Endoplasmic-Reticulum Calcium Depletion and Disease

Publication: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov | Publication Date: January 7, 2016 Authors: Fumihiko Urano Abstract The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) as an intracellular Ca2+ store not only sets up cytosolic Ca2+ signals, but, among other functions, also assembles and folds newly synthesized proteins. Alterations in ER homeostasis, including severe Ca2+ depletion, are an upstream event in the pathophysiology of many […]

Endoplasmic reticulum stress and glucose homeostasis

Publication: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov | Publication Date: July 14, 2011 Authors: Damien Abreu, Rie Asada, John M. P. Revilla, Zeno Lavagnino, Kelly Kries, David W. Piston & Fumihiko Urano Abstract Purpose of review: Balancing glucose homeostasis is crucial to maintain appropriate energy and metabolic state. Chronic hyperglycemia with insulin resistance and development of type II diabetes mellitus […]

Disease Modifying Treatments for Optic Neuropathies Including Gene Therapy

Publication: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov | Publication Date: September 30, 2016 Authors: Patrick Yu-Wai-Man, Marcela Votruba, Florence Burté, Chiara La Morgia, Piero Barboni, and Valerio Carelli Abstract Mitochondrial optic neuropathies constitute an important cause of chronic visual morbidity and registrable blindness in both the paediatric and adult population. It is a genetically heterogeneous group of disorders caused by […]