A new form of rust discovered by researchers in the hearts of mice may hold the key to the cause of a rare inherited disease in humans that causes progressive damage to the nervous system.
Friedreich's ataxia (FA) is a rare condition which can strike children as young as five, and can result in gait disturbance, speech problems, heart disease, diabetes and premature death - and has no treatment.
But an international research team, led by scientists from the University of Western Australia, believe a new form of iron may hold a clue which leads to potential relief for sufferers of the fatal disease.
In a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, co-authored by Professor Tim St Pierre and Dr Lucia Gutierrez, it reveals the presence of a yet-to-be named new form of iron in the heart of the mice with the disease.
"It's a type of rust that isn't an iron oxide," Professor St Pierre said.
"An excess of iron where it shouldn't be can cause problems, while iron deficiency also causes problems."
The experiments were carried out in the livers and hearts of affected mice at temperatures as low minus 268 degrees Centigrade.
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Rust in mice may hold key to nerve disease