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New possibilities for manipulating Notch signalling

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:05:00 +0200

The Notch pathway is responsible for the correct development of many tissues and cell types. Recent findings link mutations and/or abnormal signalling of Notch receptors with the onset of human diseases. Therefore, the Notch pathway is a promising therapeutic target. Unfortunately, until recently, there have been no specific inhibitors and/or agonists for human Notch receptors (NOTCH1-4), leaving the potential unexplored.

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Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:56:00 +0200

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New supplier: Lifespan antibodies at antibodies-online.com

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:52:00 +0200

More than 34.000 Lifespan antibodies are now available at antibodies-online.com. »Show Lifespan-antibodies

Nutritional Control of Reproductive Status in Honeybees via DNA Methylation

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:03:00 +0200

Silencing the expression of DNA methyltransferase Dnmt3 in newly hatched Apis larvae leads to a royal jelly-like effect on larva development. According to scientists from the Australian National University, the majority of larvae treated with Dnmt3 siRNA grew up to be queens with fully developed ovaries.

Listeriolysin O allows Listeria monocytogenes replication in macrophage vacuoles

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:59:00 +0200

A recent study revealed that Listeria monocytogenes can replicate in the vacuoles within macrophages. Cheryl L. Birmingham and her team from the University of Toronto in Canada observed the localisation of bacteria in large LAMP1+ compartments that they denoted spacious Listeria-containing phagosomes (SLAPs). The SLAPs could also be seen in vitro. They turned out to be non-acidic and non-degradative compartments that are generated in an autophagy-dependent manner.

Neurokinin 1 Receptor Antagonism as a Possible Therapy for Alcoholism

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:55:00 +0200

A lab group from the National Institutes of Health (USA) investigated the role of neurokinin 1 receptor (NK1R) in alcohol dependence and treatment. NK1R is a mediator of behavioural stress responses and the stress system of the brain and is an important factor for continued alcohol (ab)use and relapse.

Endogenous human microRNAs that suppress breast cancer metastasis

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:44:00 +0200

A set of microRNAs were discovered to be general regulators of cancer metastasis. Scientist from the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York (USA) now demonstrated, how restoring the expression of these microRNAs in malignant cells can suppress lung and bone metastasisation of human cancer cells in vivo.

Reprogramming of human somatic cells to pluripotency with defined factors

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:40:00 +0200

In a recently published study, murine fibroblasts were reprogrammed directly to pluripotency by ectopic expression of the transcription factors Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and Myc.

Defective tryptophan catabolism underlies inflammation in chronic granulomatous disease of mice

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:01:00 +0200

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is an inherited disease, fatally impairing children's ability to survive infections. The cause is a lack of NADPH oxidase activity in the phagocytes that can not generate reactive oxygen species, most notably superoxide anion. Recurring bacterial and fungal infections are the consequences. Patients with CGD also suffer from chronic inflammatory conditions, most prominently granuloma formation in hollow viscera.

Association of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus with C8orf13-BLK and ITGAM-ITGAX

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:59:00 +0200

Two novel genetic loci associated with risk for systemic lupus erythematosus were found by scientists of the company Genentech. One locus turned out to encode for a promoter-region allele associated with weaker expression of B lymphoid tyrosine kinase and stronger expression of C8orf13 (chromosome 8p23.1). Individuals carrying the risk allele also displayed altered levels of messenger RNA in their B-cell lines. The second locus is on chromosome 16p11.22, close to the gene loci encoding for integrin alpha M (ITGAM, or CD11b) and integrin alpha X (ITGAX).

A Shared Docking Motif in TRF1 and TRF2 Used for Differential Recruitment of Telomeric Proteins

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:55:00 +0200

The binding of TRF1 and TRF2 to their shared binding partner TIN2 and other shelterin accessory factors takes place in two different ways. TRF1 binds to TIN2 through its TRF homology (TRFH) domain, which is also used for binding with shelterin-associated factor PinX1. The TIN2 binding site of TRF2 lies outside the TRFH domain. Instead, the TRFH domain functions as docking site for shelterin accessory factor Apollo. Interestingly, Apollo and the TRF1 TRFH domain do not interact.

Spine-Type-Specific Recruitment of Newly Synthesized AMPA Receptors with Learning

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:47:00 +0200

Learning-associated newly synthesized GluR1 were selectively recruited to mushroom-type spines in adult hippocampal CA1 neurons 24 hours after fear conditioning, as the study conducted by the Institute for Childhood and Neglected Diseases demonstrates.
The scientists analysed the dynamics of newly synthesized AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) in regard to learning. For this task they used transgenic mice expressing the GluR1 subunit fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP-GluR1). The fusion protein was under the control of the c-fos promoter.

Semaphorin and neuropilin co-expression in motoneuronssets axon sensitivity to environmental semaphorin sources during motor axon pathfinding

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:42:00 +0200

Overexpression of Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) causes defasciculation and excessive growth of motor axons into normally non-permissive territories, as a study conducted by scientist from the University of Lyon in France concludes. They also state that motoneuronal Sema3A is required for correct spinal nerve compaction and dorsal motor axon extension.

Hepatitis E Virus and Chronic Hepatitis in Organ Transplant Recipients

Tue, 20 May 2008 17:18:00 +0200

Scientists of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire in Toulouse (France) identified 14 cases of acute hepatitis E infections in patients with either liver transplants, kidney transplants or kidney and pancreas transplants.

Hepatic Glucose Sensing via the CREB Coactivator CRTC2

Tue, 20 May 2008 17:16:00 +0200

A study conducted by the Salk Institute for Biological Studies recently showed that O-glycosyl transferase triggers hepatic gluconeogenesis through the O-glycosylation of the transducer of regulated CREB 2 (cAMP response element-binding protein, also called TORC2 or CRTC2).