HLS5 Gene implicated in Huntington's

The Western Australian Institute for Medical Research (WAIMR) has discovered a link between the HLS5 gene and key aspects of Huntington's disease and AIDS development, according to an announcement made by BioPharmica.

While scientists at the institute were working on the role of HLS5 in cancer, they discovered that the HLS5 gene has potential involvement in several key regulatory processes within human cells.

These key processes have been shown to be important in susceptibility and progression for diseases such as the neurodegenerative disease, Huntington's and immune system regulation, including infectious diseases such as AIDS.

HLS5 is now being developed as a key gene important in multiple disease processes, having multiple functional components, each very attractive for commercialisation.

The BioPharmica portfolio includes the Genechip being developed with Diagnostic Array Systems at RMIT University.

Managing director Dr Sam Gallagher said "BioPharmica will continue to focus on diagnostic and therapeutic applications in cancer for HLS5 with WAIMR due to the capabilities and recent success of the team".

"Research conducted in animals at the Royal Perth Hospital campus of WAIMR has found that HLS5 has an anti-cancer effect. The study found that the introduction of HLS-5 reduced the formation of cancers in mice. We have also completed a pilot trial showing that the HLS5 gene was aberrant in the majority of tissue samples from patients with cancer, consistent with its role as a tumour suppressor."

"The scientists at WAIMR have been exploring links and pathways that are now gathering interest from international researchers."