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Study links genetic variation, wheezing illness to childhood asthma risk

About 90 percent of children with two copies of a common genetic variation and who wheezed when they caught a cold early in life went on to develop asthma by age 6, according to a study to be published March 28 by the New England Journal of Medicine.

28 Mar 2013

Study evaluates genetic predisposition in BPH patients developing prostate cancer

Patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia carrying prostate cancer a risk alleles are a potential target population for PCa screening and follow-up, according to a study, which was presented yesterday at the 28th Annual EAU Congress in Milan.

19 Mar 2013

Controlling hypertension earlier in life may limit brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease

A study in the JAMA Neurology (formerly the Archives of Neurology) suggests that controlling or preventing risk factors such as hypertension earlier in life may limit or delay the brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease and other age-related neurological deterioration.

19 Mar 2013

Gene cluster implicated in Behçet's disease

Scientists may have uncovered an underlying genetic susceptibility for Behçet's disease in East Asian patients.

5 Mar 2013

FTO function may encompass more than body mass

Three variants in the fat mass and obesity associated gene are associated with significant predisposition to melanoma, show findings published in Nature Genetics.

5 Mar 2013

Calcium channel risk allele linked to executive function in bipolar disorder

Researchers have found an allele in a voltage-gated calcium gene that is associated with an increased risk for poor executive function in patients with bipolar disorder.

27 Feb 2013

Genetic testing strategy for familial high cholesterol questioned

Current testing strategies for the families of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia may not be an efficient use of health resources, suggest study results published in The Lancet.

25 Feb 2013

Gene mutation findings classify renal cell carcinoma

Researchers have identified mutation-defined subtypes of clear cell renal cell carcinoma that have distinct clinical outcomes.

20 Feb 2013

AMD risk alleles fail to predict treatment response

The major risk alleles that influence the development of age-related macular degeneration do not predict response to therapy for the condition, a substudy of the CATT trial indicates.

20 Feb 2013

Personalis announces availability of Genome Services for Research

Personalis, Inc. today announced availability of its Genome Services for Research, focusing on accuracy in sequencing, analysis, and interpretation of human genomes. Personalis believes that accuracy is crucial in medicine, both in research and ultimately in clinical use.

14 Feb 2013

TP PCR methodology may help streamline genetic testing for Huntington's

A new test may help to streamline genetic testing for Huntington Disease (HD) by generating accurate results, avoiding unnecessary additional testing, and improving turnaround time.

14 Feb 2013

CATT study clarifies value of genetic testing for age-related macular degeneration

New findings from a landmark clinical trial show that although certain gene variants may predict whether a person is likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a potentially blinding eye disease that afflicts more than nine million Americans, these genes do not predict how patients will respond to Lucentis- and Avastin-, the two medications most widely used to treat the "wet" form of AMD.

13 Feb 2013

Lipid associated variant linked to aortic stenosis, valve disorders

People who carry a lipoprotein(a) gene variant are at increased risk for aortic valve calcification and aortic stenosis, suggest study findings.

11 Feb 2013

Highlights for Feb. 2013 issue of Genetics journal

Listed below are the selected highlights for the February 2013 issue of the Genetics Society of America's journal, Genetics.

10 Feb 2013

Study supports hypothesis that disulfiram reduces drug consumption by blocking DβH

Disulfiram was the first medication approved for the treatment of alcoholism over 50 years ago. It works, at least in part, by preventing the metabolism of an alcohol by-product, acetaldehyde. High levels of acetaldehyde in the body quickly cause unpleasant symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, headache, and accelerated heart rate. Thus, disulfiram provides a very strong incentive to avoid drinking.

1 Feb 2013

Gene variant boosts ulcer susceptibility in NSAID users

A single nucleotide polymorphism in the cytochrome P450 2C gene cluster influences the risk for peptic ulcer disease in people taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, a study reveals.

31 Jan 2013

Reducing the level of mutant p53 gene increases susceptibility to cancer treatment

Scientists from the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) have discovered the workings of the gene that has been hindering treatment response in cancer patients. This discovery was made after 5 years of studying the mutant form of the p53 gene, the major tumor suppressor in humans, which is generally found mutated in over 50% of all type of human cancers.

27 Jan 2013