This is the result of the research soon to be published in the renowned scientific magazine The Plant Cell. The scientists expect that this knowledge will allow plants to be applied more often in the production of therapeutic proteins, an important type of medicine.

The discovery fits in with technology developed by the Wageningen UR research institute Plant Research International for the production of biopharmaceuticals in plants.

Proteins in plants, animals and people are equipped with various sugar chains in a process known as glycosylation. The sugar chains are of significance to the functioning of many proteins. Moreover, their identity and uniformity is crucial to the quality of therapeutic proteins.

The glycosylation of proteins in plants, people and animals basically consists of three stages. Initially sugar chains are constructed, which then attach to the protein in specific locations. Finally, the sugar chains are further modified as specific sugars are attached to the chain.

"We are the first institute in the world to identify a gene in plants that is involved in the construction of these sugar chains, the first stage in glycosylation," says scientist Maurice Henquet. "It seems that the chains become increasingly uniform as the expression of this gene is reduced." One type of chain, a relatively simple one, is mainly developed. The sugar chains which are attached to the proteins are therefore a better starting point for making adjustments that are designed to optimise the biological function as medicine.

"From now on we will be able to improve the manipulation of glycosylation," Henquet continues. "And plants will become even more suitable for medicine production."

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Before the start of that clinical trial, physicians at Johns Hopkins felt compelled to first try losartan in a small group of children, with severe Marfan syndrome, whose aortas, which carry oxygenated blood from the hear to the resto of the body, were enlarging rapidly and unresponsive to other treatment.

"These patients had severe forms of the disease and had shown progressive aortic enlargement despite treatment with existing therapies, including beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors," says Benjamin Brooke, M.D., a research fellow in genetic medicine and surgery at Hopkins.

For the 18 patients in the small, preliminary study, the average rate of aortic enlargement before starting losartan was 3.5 millimeters in diameter per year, and after losartan treatment, just shy of a half millimeter per year. "While the response to therapy varied somewhat, it was exciting to see such a dramatic change in the majority of these patients," Brooke says.

"I am very encouraged by this initial experience, but it cannot substitute for a properly controlled clinical trial," says Dietz. "I encourage patients and families with Marfan syndrome to talk to their doctors and get involved with the current clinical trial."

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