Tag: identify

A new study from scientists at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center found that emerging drugs that activate the protein STING, a well-established regulator of immune cell activation, substantially alter the activity of metabolic pathways responsible for generating the nucleotide building blocks for DNA. Researchers found that these alterations occur in cancer cells and can

Drugs that target specific proteins have greatly improved patient outcomes across a broad range of tumor types; however, patients often develop drug resistance and tumor recurrence. There is a great unmet need to identify new targets that could be used for drug development. In a new study published in Cell Chemical Biology, Moffitt Cancer Center

Non-circulating memory T cells, whose main function is to provide local protection against re-infection, contribute to chronic transplant rejection, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers reveal in a paper published today in Science Immunology. The scientists show that these “tissue-resident memory T cells” are harmful in situations where antigens that the cells recognize are

UT Southwestern scientists have adapted a classic research technique called forward genetics to identify new genes involved in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In a study published this week in eLife, the researchers used this approach in mice to find one such gene called KDM5A. Approximately 1 in 54 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with

A new genetic risk factor for Motor Neurone Disease (MND), which if treated could halt or prevent the degenerative condition, has been identified in so-called ‘junk DNA’ by scientists at the University of Sheffield. The newly discovered genetic changes are present in up to one percent of MND patients. The pioneering research, published in the

The attentional control that organisms need to succeed in their goals comes from two abilities: the focus to ignore distractions and the discipline to curb impulses. A new study by MIT neuroscientists shows that these abilities are independent, but that the activity of norepinephrine-producing neurons in a single brain region, the locus coeruleus, controls both

Night-shift workers face an increased risk of obesity and diabetes, but the underlying reason for that has been a mystery. Now, University of Missouri School of Medicine researchers have found a potential cause for metabolic changes during night-shift work that creates confusion between cells in the body and the central clock in the brain. “We

A decade-long study has identified the factor produced by a common species of skin bacteria that triggers eczema, in a breakthrough of our understanding of the condition. The discovery of a missing link by an international team led by University of Manchester scientists could lead to new treatments for the sometimes debilitating skin condition which

Capecitabine is a chemotherapy drug used for breast and colorectal cancer. It can extend survival rate by nearly 10%. However, recent studies revealed that almost 50% of patients develop palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia, a skin reaction also called hand-foot syndrome with mild to serious symptoms. Up to 17% of these patients can have a burning pain in

Otago researchers studying the COVID-19 virus (SARS-2) have discovered potential target points on its genome, which may contribute to future treatments for the virus. While their laboratory was locked down during the Level 4 period, Ph.D. student Ali Hosseini and Professor Alex McLellan from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology worked from their homes to

When an embryo develops, a wide variety of proteins and enzymes trigger a series of biochemical reactions. The development of the lymphatic vasculature is crucially dependent on one specific protein—the growth factor VEGF-C. In order to become biologically active and to initiate downstream signaling events, the protein must first undergo processing steps. Thus far it

A newly published paper in PNAS details a research breakthrough that provides a promising starting point for scientists to create drugs that can cure C. diff—a virulent health care-associated infection that causes severe diarrhea, nausea, internal bleeding, and potentially death. The bacteria affects roughly half-a-million Americans and causes nearly 15,000 deaths in the U.S. annually.

Researchers at the University of Bergen in Norway have identified new genetic signals for the regulation of how infants grow. This may be a crucial step in the fight against growth-related diseases. “A better understanding of the biology of infant growth is important as growth-related diseases such as obesity and malnutrition are global societal challenges,”

When a 9-year-old girl with anemia, breathing problems, and recurrent infections sought help for her mysterious ailments, Yale researchers and their collaborators at the National Institutes of Health sequenced her genes to pinpoint a cause. What they discovered was not only a new disease but unexpected new roles for a gene that affects the immune

Researchers at Oregon State University and Oregon Health & Science University have found a possible counterpunch to the drug resistance of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. The findings, published today in the journal Molecular Carcinogenesis, are important because in the United States alone, almost 100,000 new melanoma cases will be diagnosed this

Researchers in New York have found that treating human prostate cancer cells with a drug that targets a protein called PHLPP2 may prevent the cancer cells from spreading to other organs in the body. The study, which will be published May 15 in the Journal of Cell Biology, reveals that inhibiting PHLPP2 lowered the levels

If a patient is treated for ischemic stroke after-effects using the cerebral hypothermia method, their diet is adjusted, and they are expected to consume 20-25 Kcal per 1 kilogram of body weight. RUDN researchers demonstrated that this value should be reduced by 15-20% to decrease the mortality and disability rate among such patients by half.

Understanding and mitigating the role of epigenetics (environmental influences that trigger changes in gene expression) in disease development is a major goal of researchers. Now, a newly published paper featured on the March cover of the journal Brain adds significantly to this work by detailing how metabolites can be used to inhibit epigenetic mechanisms and

UC San Francisco scientists have figured out why some lung cancers become drug-resistant after initially responding to targeted therapies. In the process, they devised a new two-pronged approach that yields an effective treatment for these cancers in the laboratory and holds tremendous promise for the future of precision medicine, they said. The findings are detailed

Throughout its fifty years of publication, the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB) has recognized the importance of physical activity as a key behavior helpful to achieving a healthy lifestyle. The November/December issue’s theme of physical activity highlights recent research on designing, delivering, and measuring physical activity programs for different audiences. “Challenges to beginning