Protein C News and Research

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Seaweed extract outperforms remdesivir in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 in cell studies

In a test of antiviral effectiveness against the virus that causes COVID-19, an extract from edible seaweeds substantially outperformed remdesivir, the current standard antiviral used to combat the disease.

24 Jul 2020

Livestock expansion and biodiversity loss are positively related to global pandemics

The growth of global livestock farming is a threat to our biodiversity and also increases the health risks to both humans and domesticated animals.

24 Jul 2020

Researchers discover new method to treat herpes viruses

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have discovered a new method to treat human herpes viruses. The new broad-spectrum method targets physical properties in the genome of the virus rather than viral proteins, which have previously been targeted.

24 Jul 2020

Neurotransmitter-derived lipidoids help carry drugs across the blood-brain barrier in mice

Biomedical engineers at the Tufts University School of Engineering have developed tiny lipid-based nanoparticles that incorporate neurotranmitters to help carry drugs, large molecules, and even gene editing proteins across the blood-brain barrier and into the brain in mice.

24 Jul 2020

Study shows how protective T cells become pathogenic in atherosclerosis

High cholesterol kills. In fact, one in four Americans will die from the consequences of atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaques of fat and cholesterol in the arteries. Statins have helped reduce mortality, but millions are still at risk.

24 Jul 2020

Research reveals brain mechanism behind sleep-induced memory changes

The morphing structure of the brain’s “cartilage cells” may regulate how memories change while you snooze, according to new research in eNeuro.

24 Jul 2020

An important SARS-CoV-2 enzyme is responsible for low in vivo antiviral efficacy of hydroxychloroquine

Researchers have shown that hydroxychloroquine interferes with only one redundant pathway that activates the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

24 Jul 2020

Pets show antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in Italian study

A study shows that reverse transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is probable, with 3-4% of pets showing antibodies to the infection, though no virus was recovered.

24 Jul 2020

Study shows inert drug ingredients could lead to unanticipated side effects

Some supposedly inert ingredients in common drugs -- such as dyes and preservatives -- may potentially be biologically active and could lead to unanticipated side effects, according to a preliminary new study by researchers from the UC San Francisco School of Pharmacy and the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR).

24 Jul 2020

Researchers design new version of protein to develop COVID-19 vaccine

Responding to a need to quickly develop billions of doses of lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines, a scientific team at The University of Texas at Austin has successfully redesigned a key protein from the coronavirus, and the modification could enable much faster and more stable production of vaccines worldwide.

24 Jul 2020

Researchers use optogenetics to activate and inactivate signaling pathways

Proper embryonic development of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is governed by patterns of protein activity bequeathed to the fertilized egg by its mother.

24 Jul 2020

Study offers fundamental insights about sensory thalamic subnetworks

The thalamus is a "Grand Central Station" for sensory information coming to our brains. Almost every sight, sound, taste and touch we perceive travels to our brain's cortex via the thalamus.

23 Jul 2020

Gene in fat cells plays a key role in regulating insulin sensitivity

Deleting a key gene in mice in just their fat made tissues throughout these animals insulin resistant, in addition to other effects, a new study by UT Southwestern researchers shows.

23 Jul 2020

Engineered SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is more stable and can generate larger yields in the lab

A team of scientists has engineered the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus - a critical component of potential COVID-19 vaccines - to be more environmentally stable and generate larger yields in the lab.

23 Jul 2020

New technology could speed up drug discovery to fight tuberculosis

A new technology that combines high throughput imaging and machine learning could speed discovery of drugs to fight tuberculosis, which for generations has killed more people worldwide than any other disease caused by a single agent - 4,000 people every day.

23 Jul 2020

Study uncovers dual role for molecule involved in autoimmune eye disease

The inflammatory molecule interleukin-17A (IL-17A) triggers immune cells that in turn reduce IL-17A's pro-inflammatory activity, according to a study by National Eye Institute researchers.

23 Jul 2020

Study shows how mast cells regulate calcium levels to control the immune response

Instead of protecting us, the immune system can sometimes go awry, as in the case of autoimmune diseases and allergies. An Ludwig-Maximilian-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich team has dissected how mast cells regulate their calcium levels to keep the immune response under control.

23 Jul 2020