Stroke research takes 2 steps forward

Tampa, Fla. (Dec. 1, 2010) –The results of two studies published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (19:9) using animal models of cerebral ischemia and ischemic stroke in rats may significantly impact the treatment of stroke in humans. One study found that administering bone marrow stromal stem cells (MSC) produced functional and structural recovery in stroke induced rats which coincided with activation of microglia and new blood vessel growth; a second study determined a therapeutic potential when vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) administration offered functional and structural protection from ischemic stroke damage;

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New gene for childhood cancer neuroblastoma is discovered

At same gene site, variants may predispose to cancer and also drive disease progression

Pediatric cancer researchers have identified variations in a gene as important contributors to neuroblastoma, the most common solid cancer of early childhood. The study team, led by researchers at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, found that common variants in the LMO1 gene increase the risk of developing an aggressive form of neuroblastoma, and also mark the gene for continuing to drive the cancer’s progression once it forms.

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Age-related hearing loss and folate in the elderly

Alexandria, VA — Age-related hearing loss (ARHL), one of the four most prevalent chronic conditions in the elderly, is associated with low serum levels of folic acid, according to new research published in the December 2010 issue of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.

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The protein TXNL2 provides human breast cancer cells with protection

Some individuals supplement their diet with antioxidants to try to ensure that they maintain their health and prevent disease. A key target of antioxidants is reactive oxygen species (ROS), which have been linked to tumor development and progression. A team of researchers — led by Xiaojiang Cui, at the John Wayne Cancer Institute, Santa Monica; Ning-Hui Cheng, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston; and Ning Zhang, at Tianjin Medical University, China — have now determined that the protein TXNL2 helps protect human breast cancer cells from high levels of ROS. Of interest, knocking down TXNL2 levels in human breast cancer cells inhibited their ability to form tumors upon transplantation into mice. Furthermore, enhanced TXNL2 expression in primary breast cancer samples correlated with cancer spread to the lung and brain and with decreased survival. The authors therefore suggest that TXNL2 could be a new therapeutic target for the treatment of breast cancer. Read more

A powerful new technology to identify HIV inhibitors

EASY-HIT** is a new cell-based assay system for simple and reliable testing of HIV inhibitors. This system was developed under the leadership of Professor Ruth Brack-Werner at the Institute of Virology. At the heart of the system are cultured human cells that allow HIV to enter and replicate efficiently and that signal HIV infection by producing a red fluorescent protein. The EASY-HIT technology can be used to identify HIV-inhibitors, measure the potency of their inhibitory activity and to detect the stage of replication targeted by the inhibitor.

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Longevity breakthrough: The metabolic state of mitochondria controls life span

New research in the FASEB Journal brings longer life closer to reality by describing changes in the cellular energy balance that could make it happen

If you think life’s too short, then you’re not alone. A team of scientists from Texas set out to find what it would take to live a very long life and they made important discoveries that bring longer life spans much closer to reality. A new research report featured on the cover of The FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org), describes how scientists “activated” life extension in the worm, C. elegans, and in the process discovered a new metabolic state correlating with long life.

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Drug-like compound stops thyroid overstimulation in early NIH studies

Research may lead to better Graves’ disease treatment

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have identified a compound that prevents overproduction of thyroid hormone, a finding that brings scientists one step closer to improving treatment for Graves’ disease.

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NIH study identifies ideal body mass index

Overweight and obesity associated with increased risk of death

A study looking at deaths from any cause found that a body mass index (BMI) between 20.0 and 24.9 is associated with the lowest risk of death in healthy non-smoking adults. Investigators also provided precise estimates of the increased risk of death among people who are overweight and obese. Previous studies that examined the risks from being overweight were inconclusive, with some reporting only modestly increased risks of death and others showing a reduced risk. Also, the precise risks for different levels of obesity were uncertain. The research team included investigators from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and collaborators from a dozen other major research institutions worldwide. The results appear in the Dec. 2, 2010, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Inflammatory bowel disease causes post traumatic stress, say doctors

Post-traumatic stress in Crohn’s disease and its association with disease activity

The inflammatory bowel disorder Crohn’s disease produces its own variant of post traumatic stress (PTSD), indicates research published online in Frontline Gastroenterology.

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People with chronic pain face complex dilemmas and life-changing decisions

Coping with chronic pain can affect every aspect of a person’s life and cause conflict between what their mind wants to achieve and what their body allows them to do, according to research in the December issue of the Journal of Nursing and Healthcare of Chronic Illness.

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