dementia

Genetic engineering ‘vacuums’ Alzheimer plaque

John Carroll — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 08:41:46 -0400

A group of Yale University researchers theorized that genetic engineering used to block an immune response in cells outside the brain would accelerate the progress of Alzheimer's disease by spurring inflammation. Instead, they said, an animal study showed that the process eliminated as much as 90 percent of the amyloid plaque associated with the memory-wasting disease. "It was like a vacuum cleaner had removed the plaques." And they say there's good reason to believe that the same results will be seen in humans, paving the way to a new therapeutic approach to treat Alzheimer's.

"If results from our study in mice engineered to develop Alzheimer's-like dementia are supported by studies in humans, we may be able to develop a drug that could be introduced into the bloodstream to cause peripheral immune cells to target the amyloid plaques," said Dr Terence Town.

- read the article from the BBC

ALSO NOTED: New targets for ALS; Genetic switch for breast cancer; Designer estrogen potential;

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 06:59:58 -0400

Genomics

People who carry the APOE e4 gene--which has been linked to Alzheimer's--are exposed to a significantly elevated risk of postoperative dementia. The researchers say that patients with a minimum of one copy of the gene are four times more likely to develop postoperative delirium, a debilitating condition. The study included 190 seniors with an average age of 72.5 years. Postoperative delirium is a relatively common occurrence among seniors following major surgery. Report

Dietrich A. Stephan, director of discovery research at the Translational Genomics Research Institute in Phoenix, says that a gene linked to ALS--FLJ10986--creates a protein that attacks muscle-stimulating nerve cells. They also found 10 other genes linked to ALS, offering new targets for drug discovery. Report

A new research program is focused on finding the genetic causes of autism. Report

Using genetic engineering, researchers have created an obsessive-compulsive disorder-like set of behaviors in mice and reversed them with antidepressants and genetic targeting of a key brain circuit. The study, by National Institutes of Health-funded researchers, suggests new strategies for treating the disorder. Release

Children who are genetically susceptible to asthma are exposed to an even greater risk when exposed to traffic pollution. Article

Stem Cell Research

Johns Hopkins scientists have discovered a simple technique to distinguish between "true" neural stem cells and similar but less potent versions. The new development is a study in which the scientists worked with embryonic mouse brains. It may simplify the isolation of stem cells not only from brain, but also other body tissues, say the researchers. Report

Whitehead postdoctoral researchers Alexander Meissner and Marius Wernig have now identified successfully reprogrammed cells by looks alone. "This eliminates one of the major hurdles to reprogramming human cells," says Whitehead Member Rudolf Jaenisch, who is also an MIT professor of biology. "If we overcome the other obstacles, this approach could one day provide custom human embryonic stem cells for use in therapy." Release

Cancer Research

The cancer biology team from the University of Queensland's Diamantina Institute for Cancer has determined that estrogen turns on a gene linked to breast cancer. The gene MYB is present in 70 percent of breast cancer cases. Blocking that gene could become an important new approach to preventing the disease. Report

In an article recently published in the journal Cancer Research, Prof. Avri Ben-Ze'ev and Dr. Nancy Gavert of the Weizmann Institute's Molecular Cell Biology Department reveal mechanisms that help colorectal cancer metastasize. Release

Chemists at Rice University have figured out how to package powerful radioactive particles inside carbon nanotubes, pointing to a new approach to treating cancer. Report

Little-known bits of RNA help master tumor-suppressor gene do its job, U-M cancer researchers find. Three micro RNA genes appear to be key partners of protective gene p53; their loss is linked to common type of lung cancer. Report

An article published in Nature Biotechnology describes how Cellzome scientists, using a new technology called Kinobeads, have assessed the molecular action of two approved Chronic Myeloid Leukemia drugs--Gleevec and Sprycel and one which is currently undergoing clinical testing, SKI-606. The team discovered novel targets for all three drugs, including two new targets for Gleevec. Release

In a new study, Danilo Perrotti and colleagues from Ohio State University, Columbus, show that treatment with a drug known as FTY720 prevents disease in a mouse model of many leukemias caused by the cancer protein BCR-ABL (nearly all cases of blast crisis chronic myeloid leukemia [CML-BC] and some cases of acute lymphocytic leukemia [ALL]). Release

More Research

A new animal study at UCLA has determined that a "designer estrogen" could be developed to protect the brain from degeneration, offering a new approach to treating MS. Report

Scientists at UT Southwestern have been exploring ways to improve the odds of success for pancreatic cell transplants. Report

The Washington Post profiles Maine's Jackson Laboratory, which has been providing mice for medical research since 1933. The lab now covers 3,000 mouse strains and is working on developing 1,000 more to advance new therapies. Article

Using mice engineered to overeat, scientists at UT Southwestern found that a subgroup designed to produce high levels of adiponectin grew to be the fattest of the bunch, but never developed symptoms associated with diabetes. The research team believes that the high levels of adiponectin prompted their bodies to store fat just under the skin rather than around organs, allowing them to grow obese without becoming diseased. Article

Two blood chemicals have been linked to itching eczema, pointing to new therapies for the condition. Report

Using a precursor to the chemical sulforaphane found in broccoli and other vegetables, scientists at Johns Hopkins were able to treat a rare skin disease in 85 percent of the mice involved in their study. Without treatment, the mice usually died. Report

Two substances that occur naturally in the brain act to protect the brain during a stroke. This is the conclusion of a dissertation published at the Sahlgrenska Academy, and the discovery may lead to new treatments for stroke patients. Release

Teresa DiLorenzo, Ph.D., associate professor of microbiology and immunology and of medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, has been selected to receive a 2007 Gail Patrick ADA Innovation Award from the American Diabetes Association Research Foundation. Release

Australian researchers say that immune proteins called perforins, which protect against cancer and infection, belong to a family of bacterial toxins that are responsible for deadly diseases such as anthrax. The discovery will help the scientists develop new methods for fighting disease. Article

Thomas H. Gillingwater and colleagues identified 16 proteins that are affected by the Wlds gene. Although details are still missing, Wlds probably prevents these proteins from deteriorating synapses and axons. Release

Scientists probe key to memory enhancement

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 20:01:39 -0400

Scientists at McGill University are researching the effects of a gene linked to memory enhancement in hopes of developing a new therapy that could be used to improve memory in healthy people as well as treat dementia. In animal studies, researchers found that mice with a defective version of the gene were able to learn faster than others while enhancing the gene's effect was linked to memory impairment. The gene produces a protein that inhibits the physical response associated with memory. Memories are formed when cells are activated frequently enough to strengthen neural connections. The researchers studied to see how long it took mice to find a slightly submerged platform in water.

- read the article from The Guardian

Scientists report Alzheimer's vaccine success

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 20:01:39 -0400

Scientists at Japan's National Institute for Longevity Sciences are planning to push an oral Alzheimer's vaccine into clinical trials after reporting that the therapy worked in mice. The institute's director, Takeshi Tabira, says that it may be that the therapy only works at the early stage of development in humans. But when tested in mice, the researchers found that the vaccine reduced beta amyloid in the animals genetically modified to develop Alzheimer's and improved their brain function. Mental function returned to near normal levels three months after being treated with a vaccine that spurred their immune system to attack amyloid proteins. No side effects such as bleeding or inflammation was observed. One in five people over the age of 80 suffer from dementia, and most of them have Alzheimer's.

- read this report on the research from The Guardian

Related Articles:
Alzheimer's patch used to deliver vaccine to mice. Report
Researchers tout results for new Alzheimer's test. Report

Chemotherapy connected to harsh side effects

Wed, 29 Nov 2006 19:01:39 -0500

New research appearing in the Journal of Biology shows that even low doses of chemotherapy are killing brain cells and cancer drugs are more malignant to healthy cells than diseased cells. The study focused on the effects of cisplatin, cytarabine and carmustine on rats and found that healthy cells were still dying weeks after therapy. And the harsh therapy not only targeted the dividing cells that spread cancer, but normal cells that weren't dividing. The study at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York concludes that there is solid evidence to show that chemotherapy is responsible for memory loss, vision loss and even dementia. One expert in the field said the study should act as a wake-up call and lead to new methods to protect the brains of patients subjected to chemotherapy.

- read the USA Today report