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Scientists identify role of PNPASE in regulating RNA import into mitochondria

Researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine have uncovered a role for an essential cell protein in shuttling RNA into the mitochondria, the energy-producing "power plant" of the cell. The import of nucleus-encoded small RNAs into mitochondria is essential for the replication, transcription and translation of the mitochondrial genome, but the mechanisms that deliver RNA into mitochondria remain poorly understood.

7 Aug 2010

Patients with malignant gastrointestinal disease show high prevalence of malnutrition

Malnutrition is an important factor, influencing both morbidity and recovery after surgery. The early detection of nutritional risk would allow early intervention, which may prevent later complications. A traditional nutritional assessment often includes dietary and medical evaluations to identify significant weight loss over time, significantly low or high body weight(BW), skinfold thickness, serum nutritional factor levels and functional measurements of muscle strength.

31 Jul 2010

Circulating aberrant cells increase as non-small cell lung cancer progresses

A novel approach detects genetically abnormal cells in the blood of non-small cell lung cancer patients that match abnormalities found in tumor cells and increase in number with the severity of the disease, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report in the journal Clinical Cancer Research.

23 Jul 2010

Study implicates cytokine molecule IL-17 in low back pain associated with herniated discs

An immune cell known to cause chronic inflammation in autoimmune disorders has been identified as a possible culprit in low back pain associated with herniated discs, according to doctors at Duke University Medical Center.

29 Jun 2010

Additional results from BLISS-76 Phase 3 trial of BENLYSTA presented at International Congress on SLE

Human Genome Sciences, Inc. today announced the presentation of additional results from BLISS-76, one of two pivotal Phase 3 trials of BENLYSTA (belimumab) in seropositive patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. The additional data will be presented in Vancouver at the 9th International Congress on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus on Friday and Saturday, June 25-26.

28 Jun 2010

Semafore's SF1126 peptidic prodrug demonstrates clinical activity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Semafore Pharmaceuticals today announced the presentation of preliminary clinical data demonstrating that SF1126 has clinical activity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). SF1126 is a novel peptidic prodrug that converts to LY294002, one of the most widely studied small molecule inhibitors of both phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). The results were presented at Cambridge Healthtech Institute's 8th Annual Next-Gen Kinase Inhibitors Oncology & Beyond Conference being held June 21-23, 2010, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

22 Jun 2010

Reprogrammed killer cells prevent metastasis

A team of researchers has developed a method to produce cells that kill tumour cells in the lab and prevent tumours forming in mouse models of cancer. Although the current work is in cells and mouse, if the research transfers to human biology, the new type of cell could be a new source for cell-based anticancer therapies.

11 Jun 2010

FDA advisory committee recommends approval of Novartis' FTY720 for relapsing MS

Today, an advisory committee of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended approval of FTY720 (fingolimod) for the treatment of patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis, the most common form of the disease. The FDA has the option of seeking the advice of one of its advisory committees as it reviews and decides whether to approve a new treatment. The committee voted unanimously that FTY720 demonstrated substantial efficacy in treating relapsing remitting MS and that safety of the proposed 0.5 mg dose justified approval.

11 Jun 2010

Final results from Phase 1 trial of OGX-427 for treating solid tumors presented at ASCO 2010

OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced final results from a Phase 1 trial. The primary purpose of this trial was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of OGX-427 up to doses of 1000 mg for the treatment of various solid tumors. Patients enrolled had a diagnosis of castrate resistant prostate cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer or non-small cell lung cancer.

8 Jun 2010

Positive results from Phase 3 trial of ipilimumab in patients with metastatic melanoma

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company today announced positive results from a Phase 3 randomized, double blind study of ipilimumab which demonstrated that overall survival was significantly extended in patients with previously-treated metastatic melanoma who received ipilimumab.

7 Jun 2010

Green tea component reduces leukemia cells in patients with CLL

An extract of green tea appears to have clinical activity with low toxicity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients who used it in a phase II clinical trial, say researchers at Mayo Clinic.

5 Jun 2010

Fenwal biomedical engineer receives prestigious Junior Investigator Award for research on photopheresis

Fenwal, Inc., a global medical technology company focused on improving blood collection, separation, safety and availability, announced today that on Friday, May 29, 2010, the American Society for Apheresis will present Fenwal biomedical engineer Katherine Radwanski with the prestigious Junior Investigator Award for her research on photopheresis.

28 May 2010

New book summarizes current state of research on NF-κB

NF-κB is a critical signaling molecule in the immune system that regulates cell survival and cell death, lymphocyte responses, and inflammation. Acting as a transcription factor that can receive several inputs, it coordinates distinct gene expression programs in response to a wide variety of stimuli.

26 May 2010

2010 ASCO Annual Meeting highlights new research findings on cancer

Experts from The Cancer Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center will present new research findings at the 46th Annual Meeting of The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago, Illinois.

24 May 2010

Bristol-Myers Squibb announces positive results from Phase 2 study of ipilimumab in patients with NSCLC

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company today announced positive results from a randomized Phase 2 study evaluating ipilimumab in combination with standard chemotherapy in previously untreated patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

21 May 2010

Protein PEA-15 stops T-cell proliferation

New research has identified that a key protein called PEA-15 stops T-cell proliferation by blocking the cell's ability to reproduce. The control of T-cell proliferation is essential in preventing certain blood cancers and autoimmune diseases, as well as the orchestration of the immune response to infection. Findings of the study are reported in a recent online issue of The FASEB Journal, a publication of The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.

5 May 2010

SARcode presents positive results from Phase 2 study of SAR 1118 ophthalmic solution at Dry Eye Summit

SARcode Corporation, a privately-held biotechnology company focused on developing a novel class of lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) antagonists, today announced results of a 230 patient Phase 2 proof-of-concept study evaluating topical SAR 1118 ophthalmic solution in the treatment of aqueous deficient dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca).

3 May 2010

Liver transplant recipients develop premature immune senescence: Researchers

Researchers at the University of Cambridge found that liver transplant recipients develop premature immune senescence, the normal process by which the immune system ages and becomes less effective. Full details appear in the May issue of Liver Transplantation, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

30 Apr 2010

Study suggests way to predict tumors most likely to respond to chemotherapy and radiation

Levels of a key type of immune cell are higher in head and neck cancer patients whose tumors are linked to the human papillomavirus, or HPV, according to researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

27 Apr 2010

Human lymphocytes produce hepcidin that regulate iron levels in the body: Study

For some years now a small group of scientists have been pioneering a revolutionary idea - that the vertebrate immune system could have a role in the regulation of iron in the body. And now, a work soon to be published in the journal Immunology, shows that human lymphocytes (white blood cells) actually produce hepcidin, the most important protein in the regulation of iron levels in the body.

22 Apr 2010