Tag Archives: chemistry

Detailed image shows how genomes are copied

Genomes are built from pairs of long strands of DNA. In previous collaborations with American researchers, Umeå University scientists have shown that DNA polymerase epsilon is one of the three enzymes that build DNA strands in all higher-level organisms from yeast to humans. When the DNA of an organism’s genome is copied, DNA polymerase epsilon is responsible for building about half of the DNA. This process occurs quickly and with very high accuracy to avoid producing mutations that can be detrimental to the cell and to the organism as a whole. …

Study reveals TWEAK-Fn14 as key drug target

TWEAK is a cytokine, or soluble protein, that controls many cellular activities and acts by binding to a cell surface receptor known as Fn14. TWEAK binding to Fn14 triggers a wide range of cellular activities, including blood clotting, inflammation, cell proliferation, cell migration, and the creation of new blood vessels. While many of these activities are beneficial — for example, helping to heal a cut — excessive TWEAK-Fn14 activation also has been linked to tissue damage and degradation, including autoimmune diseases, as well as the survival, migration and invasion of cancer cells. "Our results show that the TWEAK-Fn14 interaction is a viable drug target, and they provide the foundation for further exploration of this system in researching invasive cancers," said Dr. …

Researchers help make pediatric eye cancer easier to detect

Although children in the United States who are treated for retinoblastoma have a 95 percent survival rate that figure drops below 50 percent for children in developing countries. However, surviving retinoblastoma is just the first hurdle. Typically, "survivors experience moderate to severe vision loss" and in some cases loss of both eyes, but early detection and treatment can increase the chances of survival and vision preservation…

Chemists develop new way to kill cancer cells resistant to chemotherapy drug

A new study from MIT and the University of Toronto offers a possible way to overcome that resistance. The researchers found that when cisplatin was delivered to cellular structures called mitochondria, DNA in this organelle was damaged, leading to cancer cell death. …

Incurable brain cancer gene silenced: Gene regulation technology increases survival rates in mice with glioblastoma

The novel therapeutic, which is based on nanotechnology, is small and nimble enough to cross the blood-brain barrier and get to where it is needed — the brain tumor. Designed to target a specific cancer-causing gene in cells, the drug simply flips the switch of the troublesome oncogene to "off," silencing the gene…

Incurable brain cancer gene silenced

The novel therapeutic, which is based on nanotechnology, is small and nimble enough to cross the blood-brain barrier and get to where it is needed — the brain tumor. Designed to target a specific cancer-causing gene in cells, the drug simply flips the switch of the troublesome oncogene to "off," silencing the gene. This knocks out the proteins that keep cancer cells immortal. In a study of mice, the nontoxic drug was delivered by intravenous injection. …