{
  "id": 18375971,
  "title": "Neural signaling protein could be therapeutic target for autism-linked gene deletion",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/neural-signaling-protein-could-be-therapeutic-target-for-autism",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-11-05T21:00:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-11-neural-protein-therapeutic-autism-linked.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have identified a potential therapeutic target for neurological disorders caused by the deletion of the autism-linked gene MEF2C. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists found that MEF2C haploinsufficiency, which results in only one copy of the gene instead of the usual two, is associated with intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, and seizures. The key to this condition lies in the neural signaling protein PSD-95, which is also linked to epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and other neurological disorders. By understanding the relationship between MEF2C and PSD-95, researchers hope to develop new treatments for these conditions. In the study, mice with one copy of MEF2C exhibited severe seizures and cognitive impairments, along with elevated levels of PSD-95 in their brains. To investigate whether targeting PSD-95 could alleviate these symptoms, the researchers employed two approaches: creating mice with reduced PSD-95 levels through gene \"knocking down\" or administering a drug that inhibits PSD-95's interaction with its receptor in neurons. Remarkably, both methods successfully restored object recognition, social novelty recognition, and reduced seizures to normal levels, comparable to wild-type mice. These findings suggest that inhibiting PSD-95 could be a promising therapeutic strategy for treating MEF2C haploinsufficiency and potentially other neurodevelopmental disorders caused by MEF2C gene deletion.",
  "summary": "A particular signaling protein in the brain could be a therapeutic target for neurological disorders arising from the deletion of the autism-linked gene MEF2C, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers found in a new mouse study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}