Tag: protects

RNA editing protein ADAR1 protects telomeres and supports proliferation in cancer cells

Scientists at The Wistar Institute identified a new function of ADAR1, a protein responsible for RNA editing, discovering that the ADAR1p110 isoform regulates genome stability at chromosome ends and is required for continued proliferation of cancer cells. These findings, reported in Nature Communications, reveal an additional oncogenic function of ADAR1 and reaffirm its potential as

Immune system protects children from severe COVID-19

Children are protected from severe COVID-19 because their innate immune system is quick to attack the virus, a new study has found. The research led by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and published in Nature Communications, found that specialized cells in a child’s immune system rapidly target the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). MCRI’s Dr. Melanie

Gene that protects against osteoarthritis identified

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common problems associated with aging, and although there are therapies to treat the pain that results from the breakdown of the cartilage that cushions joints, there are no available therapies to modify the course of the disease. However, working in a mouse model of the disorder, researchers at Washington

Global trial to test whether MMR vaccine protects front-line health-care workers against COVID-19

An international research network of physicians and scientists is launching a clinical trial to evaluate whether the vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) can protect front-line health-care workers against infection from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The trial aims to enroll up to 30,000 health-care workers globally. Washington University School of Medicine in

Breastfeeding protects infants from antibiotic-resistant bacteria

A recent study completed at the University of Helsinki investigated the amount and quality of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in breast milk and gut of mother-infant pairs. The findings have been published in the journal Nature Communications. The researchers report three findings. First, infants who were breastfed for at least six months had a smaller number of

Maternal dengue immunity protects against fetal damage in mice following Zika infection

Dengue and Zika viruses are closely related and carried by mosquitos. In infested subtropical and tropical areas, dengue transmission often precedes Zika virus (ZIKV) infection, suggesting that women who previously acquired dengue immunity may be bitten by ZIKV-carrying mosquitoes during pregnancy. Whether that mother’s prior dengue immunity would protect her unborn baby from devastating brain

Increasing exercise over 6-year span protects the heart

Heart failure affects about 5.7 million adults in the United States. The most salient risk factors for this condition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are: hypertension, a history of coronary heart disease or heart attacks, and diabetes. Since this condition, once acquired, has to be managed for life, healthcare professionals