多麩醯胺酸疾病是由於突變基因表現不正常擴增的CAG三個核苷酸重複所引起的神經退化性疾病。突變基因會產生帶有過度延長多麩醯胺片段的蛋白質。這些蛋白質會因為延長的多麩醯胺酸片段而錯誤摺疊，發生聚集並形成不可溶的沉澱物而帶有神經毒性，導致神經細胞多個生理功能受到影響，引起細胞死亡。目前並未發展出有效的治療藥物，而減少毒性蛋白的堆積被認為是能有效改善病情的治療策略。細胞自噬是細胞內降解蛋白質和胞器的重要方式。它能透過形成雙層膜結構包裹需降解蛋白後，與溶酶體融合進行分解。細胞自噬被證明能清除多麩醯胺酸疾病相關毒性蛋白，具有保護細胞的功能。因此，促進細胞自噬是被認為是治療多麩醯胺酸疾病的可行方式。本研究利用表現過度延長多麩醯胺片段蛋白質的人類神經瘤母細胞作為篩選平台，鑑定一系列小分子合成化合物。實驗是以螢光染色標定細胞自噬相關標記，篩選出能誘導細胞自噬的化合物。再利用螢光顯微鏡鑑定藥物能加強清除毒性蛋白堆積物。並在西方轉漬法確定藥物能使細胞自噬的標記蛋白LC3上升。此外，利用細胞自噬抑制劑能通過抑制細胞自噬而減弱藥物效果，證明藥物是透過促進自噬來清除毒性蛋白堆積物。未來本研究會對藥物誘導自噬影響的機制作更深入的研究，希望能提供更多相關證據，開發出有效治療多麩醯胺酸疾病的藥物。

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