Two years ago French researchers made medical history by demonstrating that CNTF could reverse HD progression a primate model of HD.(ref) CNTF does not cross the blood brain barrier so delivery is a problem. Now the same researchers, in just two years, have taken another big step by demonstrating that a virus can effectively deliver CNTF. Jerry 02-Jun-2002

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is a potent protective factor for striatal neurons in animal models of Huntington's disease (HD). Clinical application of this potential therapeutic still requires the design and optimization of delivery systems.

Definition:
From CancerWEB's On-line Medical Dictionary:
ciliary neurotrophic factor

Neurotrophic factor originally characterised as a survival factor for chick ciliary neurons in vitro. Subsequently shown to promote the survival of a variety of other neuronal cell types and to promote the differentiation of bipotential O2A progenitor cells to type 2 astrocytes in vitro. Molecular cloning and expression studies indicate that CNTF is a cytosolic protein. Developmental expression and regional distribution studies show that, unlike NGF, CNTF is not a target derived neurotrophic factor. (18 Nov 1997)