An international team of researchers has discovered a new binding partner for amyloid precursor protein (APP)—a neurotransmitter called GABABR1a. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their study of a non-pathogenic version of APP and what they found. Martin Korte with Technische Universität Braunschweig has written a Perspective piece on the...
Tag: <span>Protein</span>
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Researchers answer decades-old question about protein found in Alzheimer’s brain plaques
Alzheimer’s-affected brains are riddled with so-called amyloid plaques: protein aggregates consisting mainly of amyloid-β. However, this amyloid-β is a fragment produced from a precursor protein whose normal function has remained enigmatic for decades. A team of scientists at VIB and KU Leuven led by professors Joris de Wit and Bart De Strooper has now uncovered that this amyloid precursor protein modulates neuronal signal...
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Synaptic protein regulates anxiety behaviour
Anxiety disorders are severe mental disorders in which patients suffer from intense fears and anxiety or from sudden, inexplicable panic attacks. In extreme cases, the affected individuals barely leave their homes, which can have serious consequences for their relationships with family and friends as well as for their professional lives. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Experimental...
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The role of PCSK9 in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
This article by Dr Eleni Theocharidou et al. is published in Current Pharmaceutical Design, Volume 24, Issue 31, 2018 BENTHAM SCIENCE PUBLISHERS Statin treatment exhibits a beneficial effect in patients of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and non–alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Statins are common treatments for such conditions. The role of proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type-9 (PCSK9) in the pathogenesis of NAFLD is summarized...
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For older adults, does eating enough protein help delay disability?
To live successfully and independently, older adults need to be able to manage two different levels of life skills: basic daily care and basic housekeeping activities. Basic daily care includes feeding yourself, bathing, dressing, and going to the toilet on your own. You also need to handle basic housekeeping activities, such as managing your finances...
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Protein found in patients with severe asthma can help identify who would benefit from targeted drugs
In a novel study, researchers succeeded in identifying patients with a form of severe asthma (type 2 endotype) by measuring periostin concentrations in their airways. These patients with the type 2 (T2) endotype may benefit from newly developed targeted treatments that have the potential to transform their quality of life, report researchers in the journal...
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Mutation in common protein triggers tangles, chaos inside brain cells
MADISON, Wis. — A pioneer in the study of neural cells revealed today (Oct. 23, 2018) how a single mutation affecting the most common protein in a supporting brain cell produces devastating, fibrous globs. These, in turn, disturb the location of cellular processing units, harm the flow of energy and signals through the brain, and...
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Molecular details of protein reveal glimpse into how kidney stones form
Penn study shows that 3D structure of ion channel protein could inform drug discovery UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE PHILADELPHIA – Kidney stones–solid, pebble-like grit that forms when too much of certain minerals like calcium are in the urine–can strike men, women, and increasingly, children, and the presence and pain of stones afflicts more than 12...
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Levels of sex hormone binding protein could predict risk of developing insulin resistance
New research presented at this year’s annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) reveals that concentrations of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) protein in the blood can be used to predict the development of insulin resistance, which can develop into type 2 diabetes (T2D). High-resolution model of six insulin molecules assembled in a hexamer. Credit: Isaac Yonemoto/Wikipedia The research conducted by Kristin...
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Glue-like protein may be key to drug-resistant breast cancer
Scientists have found it challenging to understand why some breast cancers become resistant to drugs. A recent study concludes that a sticky protein might be the answer. A glue-like protein may help to explain breast cancer drug resistance. The hormone estrogen plays a vital part in the development of breast cancer. An estimated 70 percent of all breast cancers are...