VOA慢速英语2016 科学家发现导致多发性硬化症基因（在线收听）

Scientists Discover Gene Responsible for Multiple Sclerosis 科学家发现导致多发性硬化症基因

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

VOA英语学习健康与生活方式报道。

An estimated two million people around the world have multiple sclerosis, a disease commonly called MS.

据估计，全球有200万人患有被称作是MS的多发性硬化症。

The disease can affect a person’s brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves in the eyes.It can cause problems with eyesight, balance, muscle control, and other body functions.The severity often differs from one MS patient to the next.

这种疾病会影响人的大脑、脊髓以及眼部的视神经。它会造成视力问题、平衡问题、肌肉控制问题以及其他身体机能问题。每个MS患者的患病程度均有所不同。

The most severe form of the disease is called “primary progressive.”Scientists have found that a single change in a person’s genetic material can cause primary progressive MS.They say this finding could lead to a cure for a disease that cripples millions of people.

该病最严重的形式被称作是“原发进展型”。科学家们已经发现，人类基因的单一改变会造成原发型MS。他们表示此项发现将有助于为数百万患者带来治愈的福音。

Researchers have long suspected that multiple sclerosis resulted from some kind of interaction among genes.

很长时间以来，研究人员就表示多发性硬化症可能是基因交互作用造成的。

Individuals with that genetic interaction, they thought, were more likely than others to get sick.They also believed that something in the environment, such as a viral infection or lack of vitamins in the diet,could activate the disease.

他们认为，与他人相比，基因进行交互作用的个体更容易患病。他们还相信，一些环境因素，如病毒性感染或饮食中缺乏维生素，都会激活该病。

But Canadian researchers have found that is not the cause of the most severe form of multiple sclerosis.With primary progressive MS, a single mutated gene can greatly increase the risk for developing the disease.

但加拿大研究人员已经发现，最严重的多发性硬化症并非由此造成。单个的基因突变会大大提高原发进展型MS的发病风险。

This single gene is called NR1H3.

该单个基因叫做NR1H3。

The Canadian researchers are with the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.They reported the findings in the journal Neuron.

加拿大研究人员在温哥华英属哥伦比亚大学工作。他们在《神经元》期刊上报道了这一发现。

The researchers examined medical records for 2,000 Canadian families with family members who had MS.The investigation led them to two families that carried a mutation, a structural change, in the NR1H3 gene.Members of those families suffered from the most severe form of multiple sclerosis.

这些研究人员对有MS病人的2000个加拿大家庭的病史档案进行了调查。调查让他们关注到NR1H3产生结构变异的两个家庭。这些家庭成员患有最严重的多发性硬化症。

Medical geneticist Carles Vilarino-Guell was the lead writer of the report.He noted that 15 to 20 percent of MS cases were thought to be hereditary, but that has never been proven.

医学遗传专家Carles Vilarino-Guell是该报道的首席作者。他注意到，有15%至20%的MS案例被认为是遗传性的，但这并未得到证实。

Vilarino-Guell says other studies have linked other genes to the disease.But those genes increased the risk of getting MS by, at most, three percent.

Vilarino-Guell表示其他研究表明其他基因与该病有关。但这些基因最多将MS的患病风险提升了3%。

In other experiments, the researchers examined the NR1H3 gene in mice.Animals with a normal copy of the gene developed neurological problems when the gene was removed.The problems included a decrease in the production of myelin.

其他实验中，研究人员对鼠类的基因NR1H3进行了研究。删除该基因时，进行正常基因复制的动物出现了神经问题。问题包括髓磷脂产量降低。

Myelin protects protein on the outside of neurons.It speeds the electrical messages that control movement.A common sign of MS is muscle weakness and a loss of coordination.

髓磷脂对神经元外部蛋白质起保护作用。它能够加速控制运动的电信号的传递。MS的常见症状是肌无力以及丧失协调能力。

Many research teams are studying how to repair myelin in MS patients.Currently, drugs to treat it only slow down progression of the disease.They do not cure it.

很多研究团队正在研究如何修复MS患者的髓磷脂。目前，治疗药物只能延缓疾病进程。并不能治愈该病。

Discovery of a single genetic defect as the cause of MS, Vilarino-Guell says, could mean it may one day be possible to repair the gene.This means curing the crippling disorder.

Vilarino-Guell说道，发现MS的起因是单个基因缺陷可能就意味着某天能够修复该基因。这就意味着能够治愈这一严重性疾病。

Researchers say they will continue their search for a single genetic cause for the most common form of multiple sclerosis, called “relapsing remitting MS.”

研究人员表示他们将继续对造成多发性硬化症最常见形式即复发缓解型MS的单个基因进行研究。

They say their hope is that a cure could be discovered soon.

他们希望尽快发现治疗方法。

Words in This Story

spinal cord – n. the large group of nerves which runs through the center of the spine and carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body

optic nerve – n. either of the second pair of cranial nerves that pass from the retina to the optic chiasma and conduct visual stimuli to the brain

cripple – v. to cause (a person or animal) to be unable to move or walk

database – n. a collection of pieces of information that is organized and used on a computer

geneticist – n. a scientist who studies genetics

hereditary – adj. passed or able to be passed from parent to child before birth

neurological – adj. the scientific study of the nervous system and the diseases that affect it

coordination – n. the process of organizing people or groups so that they work together properly and well

defect – n. a physical problem that causes something to be less valuable, effective, healthy, etc.

mechanism – n. a process or system that is used to produce a particular result: “Scientists are studying the body's mechanisms for controlling weight.”