《中英對照讀新聞》Possible breakthrough in search for Alzheimer’s drugs 阿茲海默症藥物的探究可能出現突破

◎魏國金

Scientists have claimed a significant breakthrough in the search for possible drugs to prevent Alzheimer’s, after discovering a naturally-occurring molecule that blocks a key step in the development of the disease.

在發現一種可阻絕阿茲海默症發展關鍵步驟的天然分子後，科學家宣稱，在探究預防阿茲海默症的可能藥物上出現重大突破。

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An international team of researchers including experts from the University of Cambridge struck upon the molecule after extensive investigations into the chain of events inside the brain, which lead to Alzheimer’s.

一支包括劍橋大學專家的國際研究團隊，在廣泛調查大腦內部導致阿茲海默症發生的一連串事件後，偶然發現該分子。

Discovering molecules that offer protection is hugely important, because they can offer clues to what substances could eventually be harnessed in drug treatments.

發現提供保護的分子極為重要，因為它們可提供在藥物治療中什麼物質最終可被控制的線索。

The molecule, called brichos, interrupts the process whereby malfunctioning proteins in the brain form into toxic clusters – a key link in the chain of molecular events that scientists now think leads to Alzheimer’s.

這種稱為brichos的分子，能夠中斷腦中功能異常蛋白質形成有毒束群的過程——科學家現在認為，該過程是導致阿茲海默症一連串分子事件中的關鍵環節。

It works by sticking to threads of proteins – known as amyloid fibrils – and preventing them coming into contact with other proteins and forming clusters.

它透過黏附於「類澱粉樣纖維」的蛋白質纖絲來運作，防止該蛋白質纖絲與其他蛋白質聯繫，並形成束群。

Ordinarily in the development of Alzheimer’s, the formation these of clusters, known as oligomers, sets off a chain reaction and they spread throughout the brain. Brichos – a kind of molecule known as a "molecular chaperone", which exists naturally in the body, can bind to the surface of amyloid fibrils and prevents them assisting other proteins from binding into clusters.

一般在阿茲海默症的發展中，這些稱為低聚物的束群組成引發連鎖反應，而且它們遍及整個大腦。名為「分子伴護蛋白」的brichos自然存在於體內，可黏結類澱粉樣纖維的表面，防止其協助其他蛋白質結合成束群。

新聞辭典

naturally-occurring：自然存在的。例如：naturally-occurring uranium（天然鈾）。

strike on/upon：突然想到、突然發現。例句：He struck upon a new plan to attack.（他突然想到一個新的進攻方案。）

stick to：黏結、固著。例句：The taste of the wine was still sticking to his palate.（酒味仍然留在他的嘴裡。）