G Protein News and Research

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Loss of STAT1 transcription factor causes breast cancer development

Breast cancer represents about a fifth of all cancers diagnosed in women. The reasons for the rapid progression of the disease remain relatively poorly understood but recent work in the group of Veronika Sexl at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna has pointed the finger strongly at loss or inactivation of the transcription factor STAT1.

1 Mar 2012

Study examines mRNA transcripts in the sperm of fruitflies and humans

It had long been assumed that the human sperm cell's mission in life ended once it had transferred its freight of parental DNA to the egg. More recently however, other components of sperm have been implicated in fertilization, and perhaps even in subsequent embryonic development.

1 Mar 2012

Researchers discover mechanism by which lead alters nerve cells in the brain

Exposure to lead wreaks havoc in the brain, with consequences that include lower IQ and reduced potential for learning. But the precise mechanism by which lead alters nerve cells in the brain has largely remained unknown.

1 Mar 2012

Researchers observe how cholera decimates competing bacteria and human cells

Bacteria live in a state of perpetual warfare, with different species battling for dominion over their competitors and when pathogen, over their infected host. New research suggests that the human pathogen Vibrio cholerae, which causes the disease cholera, kills off its microbial rivals by jabbing them with a spring-loaded poison dagger.

1 Mar 2012

Scripps Florida study to focus on four new classes of pain-relieving compounds

Scripps Florida scientists have been awarded $3.1 million by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, to study and develop several new compounds that could prove to be effective in controlling pain without the unwanted side effects common with opiate drugs, such as morphine, Oxycontin, and Vicoden.

1 Mar 2012

First clinical assessment of how interferon fights infections in people

A drug once taken by people with HIV/AIDS but long ago shelved after newer, modern antiretroviral therapies became available has now shed light on how the human body uses its natural immunity to fight the virus—work that could help uncover new targets for drugs.

1 Mar 2012

iBio receives U.S. patent for fusion-protein vaccine technology

iBio, Inc. today announced issuance of a US patent covering the use of iBio's proprietary fusion-protein technology in combination with influenza virus antigens for vaccine product applications.

29 Feb 2012

Walnuts associated with better memory scores and cognitive function

Do you recall what you ate for breakfast today or dinner last night? According to new research, you may have a better chance of remembering if you include walnuts. Recent findings published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease report walnut consumption in a Mediterranean diet is associated with better memory scores and cognitive function.

29 Feb 2012

Breakthrough discovery about Rhizobium radiobacter

A new discovery involving two Simon Fraser University scientists could lead to a little known and benign bacterium becoming a vital new tool in the development of a vaccine against human immunodeficiency virus.

29 Feb 2012

Targeting O-GlcNAcase enzyme with inhibitors might treat Alzheimer's

Slowing or preventing the development of Alzheimer's disease, a fatal brain condition expected to hit one in 85 people globally by 2050, may be as simple as ensuring a brain protein's sugar levels are maintained.

29 Feb 2012

Tiny molecule might help protect pancreas from cancer

A tiny molecule might help protect the pancreas from deadly disease and cancer. Tackling a mysterious process: There is a feeling that neglected cancers need more research and Pancreatic cancer is one of the least studied. Today, the survival rate is 3% for five years. Professor Petersen, at the School of Biosciences at Cardiff University, hopes his team's research can change that.

29 Feb 2012

Shire, arGEN-X partner to create novel antibodies against rare diseases

arGEN-X, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of human monoclonal antibodies from its proprietary SIMPLE Antibody platform, announces today that it has entered into an alliance with Shire to create novel therapeutic antibody products against multiple targets submitted by Shire.

29 Feb 2012

TMED7 protein can shut down immune system after infection has been cleared

Scientists from Trinity College Dublin have discovered a new 'off switch' in our immune response which could be boosted in diseases caused by over-activation of our immune system, or blocked to improve vaccines.

29 Feb 2012

XL888 inhibitor can prevent vemurafenib resistance in melanoma patients

Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla., and colleagues in California have found that the XL888 inhibitor can prevent resistance to the chemotherapy drug vemurafenib, commonly used for treating patients with melanoma.

29 Feb 2012

New research shows how motor neurones are produced

The quest for treatments for motor neurone disease, spinal cord injury and strokes could be helped by new research that shows how key cells are produced.

28 Feb 2012

TAK-875 - an emerging therapy for Type 2 diabetes

In a trial of 426 patients with Type 2 diabetes, TAK-875 reduced blood sugar below a pre-determined level in as much as 48 percent of those receiving it after 12 weeks, compared with 40 percent of those who took glimepiride, the older drug, according to findings published online by The Lancet medical journal. The research was presented in June at the American Diabetes Association’s annual meeting in San Diego.

28 Feb 2012

Scientists discover new pathway necessary for infection to occur with N. gonorrhoeae

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have for the first time identified a novel pathway that is necessary for infection to occur with the pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which is responsible for the second most common infectious disease worldwide, gonorrhea.

28 Feb 2012

Researchers discover connection between early humans and Neanderthals' genome

A striking discovery in the study of human genetics was the focus of the most-visited press release posted on EurekAlert! in 2011. Researchers found that part of the non-African human X chromosome came from Neanderthals, confirming that they interbred with early human populations.

28 Feb 2012

Aurora-A protein blocks proper functioning of tumor-suppressor p73

A protein abundantly found in treatment-resistant cancers holds an important tumor-suppressor out of the cell nucleus, where it would normally detect DNA damage and force defective cells to kill themselves, a team of scientists reports in the current Cancer Cell.

28 Feb 2012

EMBL-EBI launches Enzyme Portal

The European Molecular Biology Laboratory's European Bioinformatics Institute has launched the Enzyme Portal, a freely available resource for people who are interested in the biology of enzymes and proteins with enzymatic activity.

28 Feb 2012