Chapter 1661: Chapter 1665: Standing Against the World—Are We Afraid?
“Actually! Parkinson’s is not simply a degenerative disease, but rather, on the basis of degenerative changes, it develops into an autoimmune disease!”
As these words were spoken, Yang Lan and Qi Kai’s faces immediately changed!
Because the implication behind this statement might overturn our previous understanding of Parkinson’s!
For so many years, no one has associated Parkinson’s with autoimmune diseases!
What is an autoimmune response?
Under normal circumstances, the human immune system does not react to its own components, a condition known as immune tolerance.
However, when our body’s immune tolerance mechanism becomes unbalanced or damaged, it leads to an immunopathological state, causing damage to the body’s tissues and organs or functional abnormalities.
Simply put, generally speaking, the defense system does not attack its own people. But when some special reactions occur, the home soldiers fail to recognize their own people and start attacking themselves.
This is an autoimmune disease.
If put this way… actually, internal conflict is all an autoimmune response, right?
Reaching this point in our research, to be honest, even Chen Cang himself hasn’t fully grasped it!
He never expected that, to a certain extent, Parkinson’s could actually be an autoimmune disease!
This result is almost completely incompatible with all existing Parkinson’s theories!
Even Chen Cang began to doubt himself!
“Could it be wrong?”
Yang Lan and Qi Kai breathed heavily, exchanging serious glances with each other.
The three of them stayed in the lab like this, speechless.
Chen Cang looked at the [Research Assistance Guidance Status], noticing that there was less than a day remaining.
Time definitely cannot be wasted.
They were standing there like Copernicus when he discovered the heliocentric theory, overturning the long-held geocentric theory.
However, once such an idea sees the light of day, it will surely become a tremendous ideological torrent.
The room was extremely quiet!
Even the air seemed somewhat stagnant.
No one expected such a terrifying discovery.
After a long while!
A voice broke the silence in the room:
“Professor Chen, this time… you’re going to be standing against all Parkinson’s researchers!” Yang Lan’s voice was somewhat excited.
But before that sound faded, Qi Kai’s firm voice rang out:
“No! It’s us!”
“What’s there to fear? Who says the minority’s concept is wrong?”
“The truth is often in the hands of a few!”
Chen Cang smiled slightly, feeling confident in being right.
The sleepless, restless effort over a few days undeniably brought him improvements and refinements in his scientific concepts.
Chen Cang finally said, “Three people, not too few!”
These words warmed the hearts of Qi Kai and Yang Lan.
To be honest, they have always been supportive, providing as much help as they could to Chen Cang.
But Chen Cang’s words of recognition really warmed their hearts.
Qi Kai directly said, “Professor Chen, what should we do next?”
At this moment!
Chen Cang had become the core of this modest research team.
After days of research, they seemed to realize that this young man before them had limitless potential waiting to be tapped.
Yang Lan also nodded firmly: “Yes, Professor Chen, you tell us what to do next?”
“We’ll follow your lead!”
Chen Cang gratefully smiled: “Alright!”
After speaking, Chen Cang directly picked up a pen and wrote on the large screen: “Here’s where our progress stands, we’ve just discovered from human blood that these patients have an autoimmune response, believed to originate from misfolded α-synuclein!”
“Therefore, there are two tasks ahead! First, seek theoretical support! Secondly, conduct simulation experiments!”
“Director Yang, you’re an expert in scientific research and specialized in the nervous system field. I hope you can find useful papers, literature, and theoretical support for us in the shortest time possible!”
“Director Qi, your next task is to conduct simulated animal experiments to prove the existence of an autoimmune response!”
“I’ll be responsible for identifying the key elements!”
As Chen Cang’s voice fell!
The three of them lightly bumped fists: “Let’s go!”
An almost-60-year-old Director Qi.
A just past menopause Director Yang.
A not-yet-thirty Chen Cang.
They continued down the path to seeking the truth!
Time seemed a luxury for Chen Cang, with every minute and second ticking by!
The next day!
Yang Lan joyfully exclaimed: “Professor Chen, a major discovery!”
“The idea that a malfunctioning immune system leads to Parkinson’s can be traced back nearly 100 years. Yet until now, no one has connected the two.”
“However, in a 2014 study, Dr. Sulzer’s laboratory confirmed that the dopaminergic neurons affected by Parkinson’s are particularly vulnerable because they contain proteins on their cell surfaces that the immune system recognizes as foreign substances!”
These two pieces of information immediately encouraged and inspired Chen Cang and Qi Kai!
Qi Kai’s eyes lit up: “This means… our theory might be right!”
Chen Cang smiled slightly!
What is the most important thing in scientific research?
Scientific confidence!
What is scientific confidence?
It’s the unyielding belief in your research path, no matter what others say.
This is the sole driving force that keeps you moving forward!
Good news kept coming!
Early the next morning.
A strange shout broke the lab’s silence.
Qi Kai’s eyes, now red, suddenly lit up!
He excitedly shouted toward the window outside.
The shout even woke up the rooster, which angrily complained before continuing to sleep!
Qi Kai was truly overwhelmed, and all the pent-up frustration over these days finally poured out!
Chen Cang slept directly on the laboratory table, while Yang Lan used the only bench there.
The shout woke them up too!
Qi Kai, not even apologizing, hurriedly said: “Don’t sleep, get up quickly, there’s a discovery!”
Chen Cang and Yang Lan, despite being drowsy, instinctively stood up quickly upon hearing this.
“What’s up?”
“What’s going on!”
Qi Kai excitedly handed the experimental results to them and exclaimed: “We’re not wrong! Definitely not wrong!”
“This is definitely an autoimmune response!”
“Look, this is what we found when we allowed the blood samples from 67 Parkinson’s rats to come into contact with those from 36 healthy rats of matched shape and size!”
“These are the α-synuclein fragments and other protein fragments!”
“We analyzed these samples to find out which protein fragments would trigger the immune response!”
A startling discovery, there was little immune cell activity observed in the blood samples from healthy rats.
In contrast, the blood samples from Parkinson’s rats previously exposed to α-synuclein could clearly recognize this protein!
What does this imply?
It indicates that these α-synuclein fragments exhibit a strong immune response.”