On October 16, the latest research accomplished by the collaborative team of our CEO, Dr. Eiichiro Mori, and our scientific advisors—Dr. Tomohide Saio (Tokushima University), Dr. Kazuma Sugie (Nara Medical University), Dr. Masashi Aoki (Tohoku University), Dr. Masaaki Sugiyama (Kyoto University), and Dr. Masashi Mori (Ishikawa University)—was published in the international scientific journal Nature Communications. This achievement was made possible by bringing together a wide range of technologies and expertise from Japan’s academic community.
In this paper, the team revealed that a factor known as the “Zinc Finger domain” (ZnF) plays an important role in the pathogenic mechanisms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS (*1)), a neurodegenerative disease. This discovery was made using our core technology, MAGmir (*2), which enables the detection of molecular dynamics.
ALS is a progressive disease for which the establishment of a fundamental treatment remains a major challenge. It causes muscle weakness and breathing difficulties due to the loss of motor neuron function. Previous studies have shown that ALS is associated with abnormalities in “phase separation”—a process in which proteins loosely associate and dissociate within the cell—leading to the formation of protein aggregates that interfere with normal cellular functions.
In this study, we analyzed the function of ZnF using patient-derived iPS cell–based analyses. Although ZnF has long been known as a DNA-binding protein, detailed analyses of various molecular structures and evaluations of their dynamics, including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements, uncovered a new role for ZnF: it prevents protein aggregation by binding to proteins that would otherwise form aggregates.
This achievement provides a new perspective on approaching the root causes of ALS, suggesting that if ZnF functions properly, ALS may not develop. Although there are still various challenges to overcome in developing a drug that functions like ZnF, we strongly believe that by further deepening our understanding of ZnF’s role as revealed in this study, we will discover clues for ALS therapeutics and create seeds for future drug development.
Incorporating the latest research findings from academia, molmir is committed to developing new treatments to take a step forward in bringing hope to patients.
Read a full paper here:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-64382-2
(1):Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
A disease that causes muscle atrophy and weakness. It affects the motor neurons— the nerve cells responsible for controlling muscle movement—rather than the muscles themselves. As these neurons lose their function, signals can no longer reach the muscles, causing them to gradually waste away.
(2):MAGmir
A technique that enables the analysis of molecular structures and dynamics under conditions close to those in the human body, using advanced NMR-based measurements. (3)
(3): nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)
An analytical technique used to investigate the structure, properties, and dynamics of molecules. It is based on the fact that atomic nuclei placed in a magnetic field precess and respond to electromagnetic radiation. Biomolecules in solution can be observed at atomic resolution.
