New findings about the role of vitamin A in mediating the relationship between gut bacteria and the immune system may prove “critical” for devising new therapies for autoimmune conditions, such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and other inflammatory diseases that affect the intestine. Carrots, butter, and cheese are some of the richest sources of vitamin A. The gut bacteria are known to play a crucial role...
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Essential amino acid in humans, methionine, controls cell growth programs
A recent study from the Laxman lab at inStem, Bangalore, elucidates how a small metabolite and amino acid, methionine, acts as a growth signal for cells, by setting into motion a metabolic program for cell proliferation NATIONAL CENTRE FOR BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES IMAGE: A RECENT STUDY FROM THE LAXMAN LAB ELUCIDATES HOW A SMALL METABOLITE AND AMINO ACID, METHIONINE, ACTS AS A GROWTH SIGNAL FOR CELLS, BY SETTING INTO...
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Engineers create an inhalable form of messenger RNA
Patients with lung disease could find relief by breathing in messenger RNA molecules MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Messenger RNA, which can induce cells to produce therapeutic proteins, holds great promise for treating a variety of diseases. The biggest obstacle to this approach so far has been finding safe and efficient ways to deliver mRNA molecules to...
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Christmas berry’ plant compound could fight Uveal melanoma
A molecule derived from a type of primrose could prove to be a potent inhibitor of metastatic growth for a rare and aggressive cancer THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY PHILADELPHIA–Doctors diagnose about 2000 adults with uveal melanoma, a cancer of the eye, every year. In half of cases, the disease metastasizes to the liver. For these patients...
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Cancer cells steer a jagged path
Rice, Duke researchers define a small protein’s central role in tumor mechanics RICE UNIVERSITY A jagged little protein appears to be key to how cancer stem cells differentiate and enable metastasis, according to researchers at Rice University and the Duke University School of Medicine. IMAGE: RICE UNIVERSITY RESEARCHERS, FROM LEFT, JOSÉ ONUCHIC, HERBERT LEVINE AND...
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Our bodies may cure themselves of diabetes in the future
Researchers have found that neighbour-cells can take over functions of damaged or missing insulin-producing cells; the discovery may lead to new treatments for diabetes. IMAGE: LUIZA GHILA IS DOING RESEARCH ON FLEXIBLE CELLS TO CURE DIABETES. CREDIT: KIM E. ANDREASSEN Diabetes is caused by damaged or non-existing insulin cells inability to produce insulin, a hormone that is...
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Engineers unlock avenue for early cancer diagnosis
Monash University engineers have unlocked the door to earlier detection of cancer with a world-first study identifying a potential new testing method that could save millions of lives. Researchers found that a sensor using new, more sensitive materials to look for key markers of disease in the body increased detection by up to 10,000 times....
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Cutting off melanoma’s escape routes
Stopping melanoma from spreading to other parts of the body might be as simple as cutting off the blood supply to the cancer, according to researchers. Scientists from The University of Queensland’s Diamantina Institute have discovered stem cells which form blood vessels in tumours, and have identified how to ‘switch the cells off’. Image:Melanoma in...
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Researchers reveal new mechanism to ‘activate’ the immune system against cancer
A new mechanism for activating the immune system against cancer cells allows immune cells to detect and destroy cancer cells better than before, according to a study published this week in the journal Nature. Image: Prof. Erez Levanon, Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences. Credit: Bar-Ilan University The study was led by Prof....
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Adolescents who self-harm more likely to commit violent crime
Young people who self–harm are three times more likely to commit violent crime than those who do not, according to new research from the Center for Child and Family Policy at Duke University. Credit: Duke Center for Child and Family Policy Young people who self-harm are three times more likely to commit violent crime than those who do not, according to new research from...