Projet: Splenic nerve stimulation to reduce inflammation-driven Parkinson’sprogression and LRRK2 mutation-driven Parkinson’s risk

Présentation

Study Rationale:

Splenic nerve stimulation involves implanting a small device in the body that electrically stimulates the nerve going to the spleen. Stimulating this nerve causes changes in immune cells and proteins that may reduce inflammation and tissue damage across the body potentially including the brain during Parkinson’s Disease. One gene mutation (LRRK2), which is a known risk for developing Parkinson’s Disease, has been shown to increase such inflammation, triggering tissue damage by immune cells, which our treatment may counter.

Hypothesis:

Stimulating the nerves of the spleen acts on different immune cells involved in
inflammation, changing their behavior, and decreasing the damaging chemical signals
they produce which will be protective or reduce the progression and damage associated
with Parkinson’s Disease

Study Design:

Cell lines from Parkinson’s patients will be used to test the effect of the bioelectronic
therapy in this disease, mimicking the effect splenic nerve stimulation has on derived
inflammatory cells. Further, studies using disease models of Parkinson’s will be used to
confirm the effects of stimulating the nerves to the spleen. This combined approach will
provide the first proof of concept for the therapy for Parkinson’s, in altering immune and
inflammation processes that could stop or reduce the disease damage within the brain.

Impact on Diagnosis/Treatment of Parkinson’s disease:

Parkinson’s is a complex condition with many potential symptoms and current therapies
mostly only manage the disease symptoms. The bioelectronic therapy acts to alter the
inflammatory processes that may cause and worsen the disease to provide a treatment that
may prevent the onset as well as slow or even stop the progression in Parkinson’s
Disease.

Next Steps for Development:

This therapy is already in two clinical trials for another disease. The work in this project
will determine the potential application of the bioelectronic therapy in Parkinson’s and its
ability to alter key processes involved in progression of the disease.