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.

Understanding lipid storage

Magazine articles describing ways to burn fat, lose weight, etc. are omnipresent in Western culture, but science's understanding of the way fat is stored in the cells of the human body is rather slimmer.

24 Nov 2008

Bioinformatics lecturers enlist undergrads to tackle DNA annotation challenge

In this week's issue of PLoS Biology, a team of Marseilles University lecturers led by Pascal Hingamp, describe the Annotathon - an innovative bioinformatics teaching approach that appeals to undergraduate biology students.

24 Nov 2008

Major discovery in the control of bad cholesterol

A study performed by the team of Dr. Nabil G. Seidah, Director of the Biochemical Neuroendocrinology Research Unit at the IRCM, shows for the very first time that the degradation by PCSK9 of the LDLR receptor, which is responsible for removing the bad cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol) from the bloodstream, may be inhibited by a third protein, annexin A2.

24 Nov 2008

The proof is in the pudding - high protein diet a fat buster!

New research by Australian scientists has found that a high protein diet may help some people lose weight and may be the key to shedding excess kilos.

24 Nov 2008

Nplate receives positive opinion for marketing authorisation in Europe

Amgen has announced that the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has issued a positive opinion recommending marketing authorisation for Nplate (romiplostim) in the European Union (EU).

21 Nov 2008

Mechanisms of cardiovascular disease and cancer give clues to new therapies

Cardiovascular conditions leading to heart attacks and strokes are treated quite separately from common cancers of the prostate, breast or lung, but now turn out to involve some of the same critical mechanisms at the molecular level.

21 Nov 2008

FDA accepts filing and grants priority review for DX-88 for hereditary angioedema

Dyax Corp. has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for filing the Company's Biologics License Application (BLA) for DX-88 (ecallantide) for the treatment of acute attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) and has designated the application for Priority Review.

21 Nov 2008

Does hormone treatment predispose patients to breast cancer?

Breast cancer, the leading cause of death among women in France, is the most commonly occurring cancer in women.

21 Nov 2008

Scientists discover an important new layer of regulation in the cell division cycle

A Florida State University College of Medicine research team led by Yanchang Wang has discovered an important new layer of regulation in the cell division cycle, which could lead to a greater understanding of the way cancer begins.

21 Nov 2008

New insight into the events that prime the uterine muscles for contraction

During pregnancy, the muscles of the uterus are relatively inactive.

20 Nov 2008

Possible new target for anticancer therapeutics

New data, generated in mice, by Pierre Sonveaux and colleagues, at University catholique de Louvain, Belgium, have identified a potential new target for anticancer therapeutics.

20 Nov 2008

Lactic acid found to be important energy source for tumor cells

Many tumors have cells that burn fuel for activities in different ways. Tumor cells near blood vessels have adequate oxygen sources and can either burn glucose like normal cells, or lactic acid (lactate). Tumor cells further from vessels are hypoxic and inefficiently burn a lot of glucose to keep going. In turn, they produce lactate as a waste product.

20 Nov 2008

Researchers reveal a new aspect of tumor development

The DNA in our cells is constantly under assault from oxygen, the sun's radiation and environmental stresses.

20 Nov 2008

New insight into the response of human skin to radiation

Scientists have new insight into the response of human skin to radiation and what drives the most aggressive and deadly form of skin cancer.

20 Nov 2008

Light drinking has certain health benefits, researchers look at why

While the physiological damage and social havoc created by alcohol abuse and dependency are well-known, it is also true that light-to-moderate drinking has certain health benefits.

20 Nov 2008

Carbon nanotubes improve protein array detection limits

To detect cancer as early as possible, dozens of research groups are developing methods to detect trace levels of cancer-related proteins and genes in blood or other biological samples.

20 Nov 2008

Nanoparticle targets melanoma with siRNA

Research has shown that a particular receptor for the blood protein thrombin is overexpressed by highly metastatic melanoma cells.

20 Nov 2008

Viral Genetics completes acquisition of V-Clip Pharmaceuticals

Viral Genetics, Inc. has announced it has completed its acquisition of V-Clip Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("V-Clip").

19 Nov 2008

Low birth weight a risk factor for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis

Individuals who were underweight at birth are at increased risk of developing a condition called secondary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, according to a study appearing in the January 2009 issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology ( CJASN ).

19 Nov 2008