image: Renowned Crnic Institute scientist, Dr. Espinosa, has found that the interferon response is constantly activated in people with Down syndrome causing the body to fight a viral infection even when such infection does not exist. Such constant activation of the immune system would likely cause many damaging side-effects and may explain cognitive deficit, increased prevalence of autoimmune disorders, higher risk of Alzheimer's disease and protection against solid tumors. Testing FDA-approved drugs that block the interferon response could be an important next step. view more
Credit: Global Down Syndrome Foundation
DENVER (Sept 6, 2016) - The Global Down Syndrome Foundation has funded a landmark study led by renowned scientist, Dr. Joaquín Espinosa, Associate Director for Science at the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome. The results of the study were published online by eLife, an open-access life sciences and biomedical research journal targeted at the very high end and run by scientists including Nobel Laureate and Editor-in-Chief, Randy Schekman. The journal was established by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Max Planck Society, and the Wellcome Trust.
Dr. Espinosa's paper in eLife, "Trisomy 21 Consistently Activates the Interferon Response", shows the unequivocal impact of trisomy 21 (the triplication of chromosome 21 that causes Down syndrome) on interferon (IFN) signaling. Specifically, cells with trisomy 21 produce high levels of interferon-stimulated genes and lower levels of genes required for protein synthesis.
Interferons are molecules produced by cells in response to viral or bacterial infection, and which act on neighboring cells to prevent the spread of the infection, shut down protein synthesis, and activate the immune system. The paper posits that if interferons are constantly activated, then the body is constantly fighting a viral infection even when such infection does not exist; this would likely cause many damaging side-effects.
Down syndrome is caused by having three copies of chromosome 21 instead of two, and since four of the six interferon receptors -- the proteins that sense the presence of interferons -- are encoded on chromosome 21, cells with trisomy 21 react more strongly to small amounts of interferons in their microenvironment.
Dr. Joaquín Espinosa is enthusiastic about the results of his study, "The constant activation of the Interferon response could explain many aspects of Down syndrome, such as cognitive deficit, stunted growth, increased prevalence of autoimmune disorders, high risk of Alzheimer's disease, and protection against solid tumors."
Dr. Kelly Sullivan, lead author of the paper, has already embarked on follow up studies. "The next steps are to fully define the role of the interferon response in the development of Down syndrome using mouse models. The great news is that FDA-approved drugs that block the interferon pathway already exist. Much clinical research will be needed to determine whether those drugs are safe over a long period and have therapeutic benefits for people with Down syndrome," said Sullivan.
"In principle, the findings are tremendously exciting and present a novel view of some of the characteristic features associated with trisomy 21," said Christopher Glass, MD, PhD, University of San Diego California School of Medicine, an eLife editor who reviewed Dr. Espinosa's research.
Other scientists on the eLife review board were also impressed with the results of Dr. Espinosa's research publicly stating: "These findings have important implications for understanding the basic nature of, and individual variation in, the diverse phenotypes of people with Down syndrome," and "This is clearly an interesting and significant study that provides important new insights into the differences in gene expression in trisomy 21 cells."
Dr. Espinosa's research started with a Crnic Grand Challenge Grant organized by the Executive Director of the Crnic Institute, Dr. Tom Blumenthal. "One cannot overemphasize the importance of the funding from the Global Down Syndrome Foundation and the research being conducted at the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome," said Dr. Tom Blumenthal, Executive Director at the Crnic Institute. "Having attracted 30 labs and over 100 scientists, including Dr. Espinosa, we have created an incubator for accelerated research that is already pointing to discoveries that have the potential to enhance the quality of life for people with Down syndrome and millions of typical people as well."
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About the Global Down Syndrome Foundation
Global Down Syndrome Foundation is a public nonprofit dedicated to significantly improving the lives of people with Down syndrome through research, medical care, education and advocacy. Global supports two affiliates which together constitute the only academic home in the United States committed solely to research and medical care for people with Down syndrome -- the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome and the Sie Center for Down Syndrome. Global also publishes Down Syndrome World, a national award-winning quarterly magazine. For more information, visit http://www.globaldownsyndrome.org. Follow Global Down Syndrome Foundation on Facebook & Twitter @GDSFoundation.
About the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome
The Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome is the first medical and research institute with the mission to provide the best clinical care to people with Down syndrome, and to eradicate the medical and cognitive ill effects associated with the condition. Established in 2008, the Crnic Institute is a partnership between the University of Colorado School of Medicine, the University of Colorado Boulder, and Children's Hospital Colorado. Headquartered on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, the Crnic Institute includes the Anna and John J. Sie Center for Down Syndrome at Children's Hospital Colorado. It partners both locally and globally to provide life-changing research and medical care for individuals with Down syndrome. The Crnic Institute is made possible by the generous support of the Anna and John J. Sie Foundation, and relies on the Global Down Syndrome Foundation for fundraising, education, awareness, and government advocacy. It is a research and medical-based organization without political or religious affiliation or intention.
About Down Syndrome
Down syndrome is the most commonly occurring chromosomal condition, affecting one out of every 691 live births in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The average lifespan is 60 years. Down syndrome is caused by the genetic condition known as trisomy 21, whereby a person is born with three copies of chromosome 21. The presence of an extra copy of the chromosome affects human development in many ways, protecting people with Down syndrome from developing some diseases, such as most tumors, while predisposing them to others, such as autoimmune disorders and Alzheimer's disease. The reasons for this different 'disease spectrum' in the population with Down syndrome are unknown. Elucidating the molecular basis of this phenomenon could advance our understanding of many diseases affecting the typical population.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Taylor Shields
Global Down Syndrome Foundation
303 468 4975 office
702 271 1809 cell
TShields@GlobalDownSyndrome.org