Reports Outline Voltage-Dependent Anion Channels Study Findings from Ruhr-Universitat Bochum (Neuronal Protection by Ha-RAS-GTPase Signaling through Selective Downregulation of Plasmalemmal Voltage-Dependent Anion Channel-1).

A recent study conducted by researchers at Ruhr-Universitat Bochum in Germany has found that the small GTPase RAS plays a role in protecting neurons from degeneration in the brain. The study discovered that transgenic mice expressing activated V12-Ha-RAS showed a significant decrease in voltage-dependent anion channel-1 (VDAC-1) in certain areas of the brain. This reduction in VDAC-1 was accompanied by a decrease in ferricyanide reductase activity associated with VDAC-1 protein. The researchers suggest that targeting plasmalemmal VDAC-1 with monoclonal antibodies could be a potential therapeutic approach for transplantation and neurodegenerative diseases. [Extracted from the article]