New research supports how the lack of Mecp2 protein impairs the function of healthy nerve cells in a mouse study of Rett syndrome. Specifically, the function of nerve cells was affected when the cells were grown alongside nerve-cell supporting astrocytes lacking the Mecp2 protein, mimicking the genetic defect that…

Mice with Rett syndrome show abnormalities in their brain circuitry that helps to control movement, which may contribute to motor dysfunction that often arises as a symptom of the disease, a new study reports. The results provide “novel in vivo [in living animals] evidence for abnormal motor circuit function”…

Levels of a small RNA molecule called miR-101a may be elevated in certain brain regions of people with Rett syndrome, according to a preclinical study. The data suggest that higher miR-101a levels can alter signals sent by nerve cells, which may impair normal brain circuitry to contribute to the…

Treatment with a modified version of the MeCP2 protein, one designed to better get into cells, markedly extended lifespans in a mouse model of Rett syndrome, a study reports. The MeCP2 protein here was modified by adding a sequence derived from the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) — a virus…

NGN-401, a new gene therapy in the pipeline from Neurogene, extended the lifespan and reduced the disease burden in mice with a form of Rett syndrome, the company announced. Researchers also observed that the therapy was safe when delivered to mice or early in the life of…

Supplementing with Vitamin D rescued the altered activity of genes associated with Rett syndrome and improved behaviors in a mouse model, a study showed. The findings indicate that supplementation could provide a simple, cost-effective therapeutic option to help Rett patients, the scientists said. The study, “Vitamin…

The protein MeCP2 normally forms a complex with several other proteins in the brain that helps to regulate the development of connections between brain cells, a study reported. These findings offer new insight into how Rett syndrome and other conditions caused by mutations affecting MECP2 can develop. The study…

Sex-specific changes in the gut microbiome and associated metabolites came before disease progression in a mouse model of Rett syndrome, a study demonstrated. Notably, the study showed that female Rett mice models mimicked the syndrome’s microbial and molecular signatures better than male Rett mice, which are primarily used in…

A cellular signaling pathway called the JNK pathway is overactive in cell and animal models of Rett syndrome, and blocking it lessens signs of the disease in these models, according to a new study. “These results suggest that JNK inhibition could offer an attractive therapeutic strategy to tackle RTT…

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and oxytocin may normalize the levels of the KCC2 protein — which is abnormal in the brain of Rett syndrome patients — in a region-specific and complementary manner, a study in mice suggests. This finding supports their potential use as a combo therapy for Rett,…