Protein News and Research

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Proteins are complex molecules that are made up of amino acids. They can be found in every cell in the body, and carry out vital processes that keep human beings alive. Mutations in proteins can lead to a multitude of diseases, the most common being cancer.

Researchers sequence the DNA of 6,700 exomes of cystic fibrosis patients

A multi-institutional team of researchers has sequenced the DNA of 6,700 exomes, the portion of the genome that contains protein-coding genes, as part of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)-funded Exome Sequencing Project, one of the largest medical sequencing studies ever undertaken.

7 Nov 2012

Elafin protein protects against inflammatory diseases

This protection is provided by a human protein, Elafin, which is artificially introduced into dairy produce bacteria (Lactococcus lactis and Lactobacillus casei). In time, this discovery could be useful for individuals suffering from chronic inflammatory diseases such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.

7 Nov 2012

Scientists show how sorafenib can be dangerous to the heart

Scientists for the first time have evidence showing how a widely used type of "targeted" cancer drug can be dangerous to the heart.

7 Nov 2012

Excessive turnover of placental cells may trigger unnatural increase in blood pressure

Excessive turnover of cells in the placenta may trigger an unnatural increase in blood pressure that puts mother and baby at risk, researchers say.

7 Nov 2012

Treatment with AMG 145 reduces LDL cholesterol

Amgen today announced that results from the LAPLACE-TIMI 57 and MENDEL Phase 2 studies evaluating AMG 145 in hypercholesterolemic patients with or without statins, respectively, showed that treatment with AMG 145 resulted in a statistically significant reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

7 Nov 2012

Link between SFRP4 protein and risk of type 2 diabetes

When a patient is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the disease has usually already progressed over several years and damage to areas such as blood vessels and eyes has already taken place. To find a test that indicates who is at risk at an early stage would be valuable, as it would enable preventive treatment to be put in place.

7 Nov 2012

Positive results from Santarus and Pharming’s RUCONEST Phase III trial on HAE

Santarus, Inc. and Pharming Group NV today announced that their pivotal Phase III clinical study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the investigational drug RUCONEST (recombinant human C1 esterase inhibitor) 50 U/kg for the treatment of acute attacks of angioedema in patients with Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) met the primary endpoint of time to beginning of symptom relief.

7 Nov 2012

Measuring blood levels of hs-CRP could help identify men at increased risk for death from cancer

Measuring blood levels of high-sensitive C-reactive protein, an important marker of inflammation, in apparently cancer-free men could potentially help identify those at increased risk for death from cancer, in particular lung cancer, according to data published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

7 Nov 2012

Loyola announces 2012 Junior and Senior Scientist of the Year during St. Albert's Day

Katherine L. Knight, PhD, one of the nation's leading immune system researchers, has been named 2012 Senior Scientist of the Year at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. Sakthivel Sadayappan, PhD, FAHA, who is doing groundbreaking research on a protein that is critical for the normal functioning of the heart, has been named 2012 Junior Scientist of the Year.

7 Nov 2012

AMG 145 can reduce LDL cholesterol levels by up to 66% after 12 weeks

For many people with high cholesterol, statins serve as the first line of treatment. However, some patients are unable to effectively reduce their low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) or "bad cholesterol" levels with statins, the most commonly used medication to treat high cholesterol, due to their bodies' inability to tolerate or sufficiently respond to the medicine.

7 Nov 2012

Turning off GSK-3α protein activity can prevent heart remodeling

When a person has a heart attack, portions of the heart muscle die in the next several days or even weeks if deprived of oxygen for long enough. The recovering heart slowly remodels itself, even fostering the growth of new blood vessels, in an attempt to regain some of its former function. But all too often, the remodeling is actually harmful, and the damaged heart is on an inevitable downward slide to heart failure.

6 Nov 2012

Researchers show how bacteria control processes in human cells

Bacteria can talk to each other via molecules they themselves produce. The phenomenon is called quorum sensing, and is important when an infection propagates. Now, researchers at Link-ping University in Sweden are showing how bacteria control processes in human cells the same way.

6 Nov 2012

Geldanamycin degrades VEGFR2 protein that triggers blood vessel growth

The drug, geldanamycin, is well known for attacking a protein associated with the spread of breast cancer. However, a laboratory-based study found it also degraded a different protein that triggers blood vessel growth.

6 Nov 2012

Monoclonal antibody boosts cholesterol reduction

Adding a monoclonal antibody that blocks the breakdown of lipid receptors to atorvastatin therapy further reduces low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia, show study findings.

6 Nov 2012

Sabin initiates Part II of Na-GST-1 vaccine Phase I hookworm trial

The Sabin Vaccine Institute (Sabin) today announced the start of Part II of its Phase I clinical trial of the Na-GST-1 vaccine candidate, marking another major milestone in the progress toward developing a human hookworm vaccine.

6 Nov 2012

Biologists determine how blind mole rats fight off cancer

Biologists at the University of Rochester have determined how blind mole rats fight off cancer-and the mechanism differs from what they discovered three years ago in another long-lived and cancer-resistant mole rat species, the naked mole rat.

6 Nov 2012

Peptide-enhanced tomatoes reduce atherosclerosis in mice

For the first time, genetically engineered tomato plants produced a peptide that mimics the actions of good cholesterol when eaten, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2012.

6 Nov 2012

BioMimetic Therapeutics reports net loss of $4.6 million for third quarter 2012

BioMimetic Therapeutics, Inc. today reported its corporate highlights and financial results as of and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012. For the three months ended September 30, 2012, the Company reported a net loss of $4.6 million, or $0.16 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $7.1 million, or $0.25 per diluted share, for the same period in 2011.

6 Nov 2012

Alnylam third quarter 2012 revenues decrease to $16.8 million

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, today reported its consolidated financial results for the third quarter 2012, and company highlights.

6 Nov 2012

Dysregulation of CISTR-ACT causes brachydactyly type E

The patients have single short fingers (metacarpals) and toes (metatarsals) and can be restricted in growth due to a shortened skeleton. This hereditary disease is called brachydactyly type E (Greek for short fingers).

6 Nov 2012