Protein News and Research

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Proteins are complex molecules that are made up of amino acids. They can be found in every cell in the body, and carry out vital processes that keep human beings alive. Mutations in proteins can lead to a multitude of diseases, the most common being cancer.

Scientists elucidate 3D structure of protein involved in cancer

The human glutamine transporter ASCT2 is upregulated in several forms of cancer. It is also the docking platform for a wide range of pathogenic retroviruses.

6 Jun 2018

Zebrafish may hold answers to how tumors develop in childhood muscle cancer

A popular aquarium fish may hold answers to how tumors form in a childhood cancer.

6 Jun 2018

Classifying heart failure patients based on redox status may help personalize treatment

For more than six decades, oxidative stress has been linked to heart failure, a progressive weakening of the heart muscle that can lead to death. While antioxidant supplements such as vitamin C, vitamin B and beta-carotene have been widely used in heart failure, they often prove ineffective.

6 Jun 2018

Study finds new theory for gender differences in occurrence of autoimmune diseases

New findings are now being presented on possible mechanisms behind gender differences in the occurrence of rheumatism and other autoimmune diseases. The study, published in Nature Communications, can be of significance for the future treatment of diseases.

6 Jun 2018

New way of delivering gene therapy shows promise in treating brain conditions

Researchers from the School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences have engineered a novel way of delivering gene therapy that they hope will mean scientists and doctors can target areas of the brain that were previously difficult to reach.

5 Jun 2018

New findings shed light on biological mechanisms of gene regulation

A team led by Prof. Stein Aerts uncovers how access to relevant DNA regions is orchestrated in epithelial cells.

5 Jun 2018

Scientists shed light on key aspect of healthy cell division

Scientists have shed light on a key aspect of healthy cell division, helping build a clearer picture of the complex mechanisms involved.

5 Jun 2018

Plant-based dietary pattern lowers cholesterol and improves blood pressure

A new meta-analysis published in the journal Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases finds that a diet that includes plant protein, fiber, nuts, and plant sterols lowers cholesterol, improves blood pressure, and improves other markers for cardiovascular disease risk.

5 Jun 2018

Research project could lead to development of new immune therapies for lung cancer

Protein kinases regulate nearly all processes in cells. If the function of these enzymes is disrupted, often cancer will develop. In particular certain types of deregulated mitogen-activated protein kinases are believed to be the cause of various types of cancer.

5 Jun 2018

Altering bacteria’s genetic code may pave way for long-lasting drugs, shows study

By altering the genetic code in bacteria, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have demonstrated a method to make therapeutic proteins more stable, an advance that would improve the drugs' effectiveness and convenience, leading to smaller and less frequent doses of medicine, lower health care costs and fewer side effects for patients with cancer and other diseases.

5 Jun 2018

New study shows how alcohol contributes to development of Alzheimer's disease

Research from the University of Illinois at Chicago has found that some of the genes affected by alcohol and inflammation are also implicated in processes that clear amyloid beta -- the protein that forms globs of plaques in the brain and which contributes to neuronal damage and the cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer's disease.

5 Jun 2018

Mid-infrared biosensor distinguishes multiple analytes in heterogeneous biological samples

Detecting biomolecules, such as lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids and their interactions in heterogeneous biological samples is crucial for understanding a multitude of biological mechanisms in health and disease.

5 Jun 2018

Researchers find novel gene in red blood cells that may help limb regeneration in adult newts

Newts are the only four-legged vertebrates that can regenerate their body parts even as adults. When a newt loses a limb, a mass of cells, called a blastema, is generated at the stump, from which a new, fully functional limb is eventually regenerated.

5 Jun 2018

Study sheds new light on how the food we eat affects biochemical signals in the gut

For years, researchers have studied how the body's microbiome impacts virtually every aspect of human health ranging from the immune system to mental wellness.

5 Jun 2018

Researchers gain new insights into hepatitis B virus

Researchers at the University of Delaware, working with colleagues at Indiana University, have gained new insights into the virus that causes hepatitis B -- a life-threatening and incurable infection that afflicts more than 250 million people worldwide.

4 Jun 2018

Researchers report on the sweet side of snake venom toxins

A bite from a lancehead snake can be fatal. Species in the family, found throughout Central and South America, have venom that can disrupt blood clotting and cause hemorrhage, strokes and kidney failure.

4 Jun 2018

Genomic markers can predict lynch syndrome across tumor types

Microsatellite instability and DNA mismatch repair deficiencies can predict Lynch syndrome across tumor types, according to researchers from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, who presented this retrospective data analysis in a press conference at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

4 Jun 2018