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The Academic Support Center @ Daytona State College (Science 86 Page 1 of 23)

LORENZO’S OIL

S C I E N C E M O V I E N I G H T


Presents:


Details: Year: 1992

Rated: PG-13

Parental Rating: Cautionary; some scenes objectionable

Running Time: 135 min.

Released By: Universal

Awards: Academy Award Nominee: Best Actress - Susan Sarandon

Academy Award Nominee: Best Original Screenplay – George Miller

Cast: Nick Nolte: Augusto Odone

Susan Sarandon: Michaela Odone

Peter Ustinov: Professor Nikolais

Zack O'Malley Greenburg: Lorenzo


• Lorenzo’s Oil is based on the true story of a six year old

boy named Lorenzo Odone, who begins to exhibit the

symptoms of an extremely rare disease called

Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD).

• When he was first diagnosed in 1984, ALD was still a

newly-discovered disease with no cure and extremely

limited available research.

• Lorenzo’s parents, Augusto and Michaela Odone, decide

to conduct their own research in a desperate attempt to

locate a cure for their son’s disease.


Sex chromosome

Defective chromosome

Affected

• an X chromosome-linked (sex-linked)

recessive disease

• passed from mothers to sons through

a defective X chromosome


• The defective chromosome inhibits the function of the specific

enzyme that breaks down very long chain saturated fatty acids

(VLCSFA), causing them to accumulate in the nervous system.

VLCSFA’s

= C24 & C26


• accumulation of VLCSFA

destroys the myelin sheath that

insulates the axons of neurons

• demyelination inhibits the

transmission of nerve signals




• What are some of the symptoms that Lorenzo

displayed, and how did they progress?

• Why did the symptoms and their progression lead doctors

to believe that Lorenzo had a degenerative disease that

affects the nervous system?

• loss of hearing • loss of sight • loss of balance

• loss of speech • loss of muscle control • inability to swallow

• accumulation of VLCSFA destroys the

myelin sheath that insulates neurons

• demyelination inhibits the

transmission of nerve signals


• What treatment did Lorenzo first implement

to attempt to decrease the level of very long

chain saturated fatty acids in his body?

• What effect did this have on

his VLCSFA levels?

Dietary modification

• He decreased his nutritional intake

of saturated fats


Augusto uses a diagram of a sink to represent

what is happening in Lorenzo’s body.

• In his diagram, what do the two

taps represent?

• What does the drain represent?

It represents the enzyme that

metabolizes the VLCSFA’s.

• The 1st one represents the long chain

saturated fatty acids that Lorenzo takes

in through his diet.

• The 2nd tap represents the VLCSFA’s

that Lorenzo’s body biosynthesizes.


• Why are Lorenzo’s VLCSFA levels increasing, despite the

fact that he has decreased his dietary intake of saturated

fats?

Biosynthesis & Homeostasis

• In addition to the very long chain

saturated fatty acids that are taken

in through diet, the body also

synthesizes its own VLCSFA’s.

• To compensate for the decrease in dietary intake of saturated fatty

acids, the body increases biosynthesis to maintain homeostasis.


Michaela Odone discovers research on fatty acid manipulation that

provides a possible solution to Lorenzo’s high level of VLCSFA’s.

• What is the name of the substance that was first used

to manipulate Lorenzo’s fatty acid levels? Where does it

come from?

oleic acid (monounsaturated C18) =

Principle component of olive oil


• How does this substance help decrease

Lorenzo’s level of VLCSFA’s?

Increasing the intake of unsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid – C18)

causes the enzyme that synthesizes very long chain saturated fatty

acids to stop making them in excess. (has the opposite effect of

decreasing saturated fat levels)


Oleic acid successfully decreases Lorenzo’s

level of VLCSFA’s for a period of time.

• Why did his VLCSFA level plateau after an

initial period of decrease?

Even though extra unsaturated fat is being added

to the diet, which decreases biosynthesis, the

body will still continue to synthesize a certain

amount of very long chain saturated fatty acid.


Augusto Odone discovers another substance that

may provide a solution to the plateau that occurs in

Lorenzo’s VLCSFA level.

erucic acid (monounsaturated C22) =

Principle component of rapeseed oil

• What is the name of this substance, and where

does it come from?


• What does Lorenzo’s oil consist of?

4 parts oleic acid

+ 1 part erucic acid

= Lorenzo’s Oil


• How does Lorenzo’s oil stop the progression of ALD?

Competitive Inhibition • Erucic acid (monounsaturated C22) is long enough to compete with the very long chain

saturated fatty acids (C24 & C26) for the enzyme’s active site.

• This results in the production of more very long chain monounsaturated fatty acids and less of

the harmful saturated type.

The same enzyme metabolizes both monounsaturated &

long-chain fatty acids.


• What other treatments for ALD were being

researched when the movie was produced?

Unfortunately, Lorenzo’s oil can only slow down

or stop the progression of Adrenoleukodystrophy

for those who already exhibit symptoms.

• Myelin Regeneration

• Gene Therapy

• Stem Cell Research

• How would a cure for Adrenoleukodystrophy offer

hope to those with other neurological conditions?


• Since many males with ALD are now living past the

age of puberty, could this increase the likelihood that

females will contract Adrenoleukodystrophy?

If treatment begins before symptoms develop, Lorenzo’s oil seems to

prevent the disease from occurring in many individuals with ALD.

Defective chromosome

Affected

• If so, how?


• Is it ethical for human beings to suffer or sacrifice themselves

for scientific advancement?

• Is there a point where life is no longer worth living?

(What constitutes “life”?)

• Should individuals resort to their own “unscientific” experiments

when proven research is unavailable?

• Is “good science” contrary to compassion?

• Should scientists be more collaborative and less competitive?


Compiled by T. Lazauski – Peer Tutor Edited by D. Leonard – Learning Specialist The Academic Support Center @ Daytona State College http://www.daytonastate.edu/asc/ascsciencehandouts.html

Questions

http://www.daytonastate.edu/asc/ascsciencehandouts.html

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Viruses – Cellular Pirates - Daytona State College · newly-discovered disease with no cure and extremely ... Augusto and Michaela Odone, decide to conduct their own research in