GPR17 receptor identified as potential target for ALS research

Researchers from the University of Milan, in collaboration with the University of Genoa and the AriSLA Foundation, have identified the GPR17 receptor as a potential therapeutic target for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

The study, published in Pharmacological Research, focuses on the role of oligodendrocytes—cells responsible for producing the myelin sheath that protects nerve fibers. In ALS patients, post-mortem analyses have shown an increased presence of immature oligodendrocytes expressing GPR17. When this receptor remains active for too long in immature cells, it prevents them from maturing, thereby compromising the formation and maintenance of myelin.

In preclinical trials using a mouse model of familial ALS associated with the SOD1 gene mutation, the compound Galinex was tested. The treatment showed promise by improving certain parameters in female mice, though no therapeutic benefits were observed in males. While these results reinforce the link between the GPR17 receptor and the pathology, the study remains in the preclinical stage and has not yet been tested on humans.