Enzyme News and Research

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New ways to enhance or block fertilization

Researchers have capitalized on the unique properties of a sperm cell to follow cell membrane fusion as it occurs during fertilization, tracking the full cascade of events for the first time. The findings could reveal new ways to enhance or block fertilization, as well as how to control the secretion of neurotransmitters and hormones such as insulin.

6 Sep 2005

Double whammy of vitamin D and anti-inflammatory zaps prostate cancer cells

Scientists from Stanford University say they have discovered that vitamin D, known as the "sunshine vitamin,"can limit the growth of prostate cancer cells when combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

6 Sep 2005

Sports and exercise - in addition to preventing obesity and diabetes - directly improve vascular function and reduce atherosclerosis

When asked about his personal recipe for old age, Winston Churchill used to answer: "First of all: No sports." While being a visionary figure in world politics researchers in cardiovascular exercise science today would unanimously reply to his medical hypothesis: "Sorry, you are wrong."

5 Sep 2005

New findings suggest balancing Chk1 activity will produce less toxic cancer drugs

A study published by The Burnham Institute in the September edition of Molecular Cell reports that a cell-cycle checkpoint protein, known to be activated by an important class of anticancer drugs, may play crucial roles in both the hampering of therapeutic actions and aiding cancer cells to "recover" and start dividing again after treatment with these drugs.

5 Sep 2005

Potential new way to fight HIV

Researchers have confirmed for the first time the benefit of an innate defense system present in the few patients who remain healthy after years of infection with HIV despite receiving no treatment, according to an article published in the September edition of the Journal of Virology.

1 Sep 2005

Macrophages kill bacteria - but not always

Macrophages are effective weapons used by our immune system to absorb and digest pathogenic intruders. Some bacteria, however, can subvert this defence mechanism and even multiply within the macrophages.

1 Sep 2005

Study points to link to neurodegenerative disease target

A University of California - San Francisco (UCSF) study has found that a specific signaling link between neurons and muscles in the fruit fly is essential for keeping the insect's nervous system stable.

1 Sep 2005

African-American women with mitochondrial DNA variant are at increased risk of breast cancer

African-American women who carry the 10398A mitochondrial DNA allele are 60 percent more likely to develop invasive breast cancer than African-American females without that genetic marker, according to research published in the September 1 issue of "Cancer Research."

1 Sep 2005

Compound called GRN163L blocks lung cancer

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found a compound that shows promise as a way to block the spread, or metastasis, of lung cancer.

1 Sep 2005

Pomegranate fruit extracts can block enzymes that contribute to osteoarthritis

The study looked at the ability of an extract of pomegranate fruit against Interleukin-1b (IL-1b), a pro-inflammatory protein molecule that plays a key role in cartilage degradation in osteoarthritis.

1 Sep 2005

Low doses of the active form of vitamin D and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs form one-two punch against prostate cancer cells

Low doses of the active form of vitamin D and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, taken in combination, have been shown to act as a powerful one-two punch that knocks down the growth of prostate cancer cells.

1 Sep 2005

Charles Darwin was right and chimp gene map proves it

According to scientists who have mapped the complete chimp genome and compared it to the human gene map, there is little genetic difference between humans and chimps, but those differences count for a lot.

31 Aug 2005

Virginia Tech engineer investigates enzyme link to Huntington's, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer diseases

Several neurologically based afflictions, such as Huntington's, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer diseases, have been correlated to a higher than normal presence of a specific type of enzymes, called transglutaminases (TGase) in the human body.

30 Aug 2005

Carbohydrate known as OGT2378 inhibits tumor growth

A non-toxic chemical compound that prevents cancer cells from producing a critical membrane component has been shown to suppress tumor growth and tumor size in mice without unwanted side effects, according to researchers at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

30 Aug 2005

Significant advance in understanding how enzyme can prevent certain bacteria from becoming virulent

A team of biomedical researchers from Brandeis University and the University of Texas at Austin has determined the first 3-dimensional structure of an enzyme that may be pivotal in preventing certain bacterial infections in plants, animals and humans, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

30 Aug 2005

Designer molecules that combine metals such as copper with natural organic materials could treat diseases in the body

That's the finding of chemists at Ohio State University, who have successfully tested such molecules against portions of HIV and Hepatitis C virus RNA in the laboratory. They've also created molecules that act like ACE, or angiotensin-converting enzyme, inhibitors - drugs that are used to lower blood pressure.

30 Aug 2005

Blocking Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) with anticancer drugs

A class of anticancer drugs currently being evaluated in phase 3 clinical trials may also be an effective treatment for Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), a fatal genetic disorder that causes premature aging.

29 Aug 2005

Drugs known as farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) may hold promise for premature aging disorder

In a surprising development, a research team led by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), has found that a class of experimental anti-cancer drugs also shows promise in laboratory studies for treating a fatal genetic disorder that causes premature aging.

29 Aug 2005

Relative of the celebrated COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib is tough tumor fighter

A close structural relative of the celebrated COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib (brand name: Celebrex) is a potent tumor fighter, able to wipe out tumor cells that are resistant to conventional chemotherapies, according to an interdisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Southern California.

29 Aug 2005

Unusual type of antibiotic shows promise in defeating deadly "superbugs"

An unusual type of antibiotic being developed by chemists at Notre Dame University shows promise in defeating deadly "superbugs" - highly drug-resistant staph bacteria that are an increasing source of hospital-based infections.

29 Aug 2005

Enzyme News and Research

New ways to enhance or block fertilization

Double whammy of vitamin D and anti-inflammatory zaps prostate cancer cells

Sports and exercise - in addition to preventing obesity and diabetes - directly improve vascular function and reduce atherosclerosis

New findings suggest balancing Chk1 activity will produce less toxic cancer drugs

Potential new way to fight HIV

Macrophages kill bacteria - but not always

Study points to link to neurodegenerative disease target

African-American women with mitochondrial DNA variant are at increased risk of breast cancer

Compound called GRN163L blocks lung cancer

Pomegranate fruit extracts can block enzymes that contribute to osteoarthritis

Low doses of the active form of vitamin D and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs form one-two punch against prostate cancer cells

Charles Darwin was right and chimp gene map proves it

Virginia Tech engineer investigates enzyme link to Huntington's, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer diseases

Carbohydrate known as OGT2378 inhibits tumor growth

Significant advance in understanding how enzyme can prevent certain bacteria from becoming virulent

Designer molecules that combine metals such as copper with natural organic materials could treat diseases in the body

Blocking Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) with anticancer drugs

Drugs known as farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) may hold promise for premature aging disorder

Relative of the celebrated COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib is tough tumor fighter

Unusual type of antibiotic shows promise in defeating deadly "superbugs"

Biochemistry eBook

Innovations in baculovirus–insect cell expression systems

Compound Management and its Crucial Role in Early Pharmaceutical Research

Natural products: the next frontier in drug discovery

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