When exposed to heat and crowded environments, unfolded proteins collapse
3/26/2014
Proteins are important molecules in our body and they fulfill a broad range of functions. For instance as enzymes they help to release energy from food and as muscle proteins they assist with motion. As antibodies they are involved in immune defence and as hormone receptors in signal transduction in cells.
Invading cancer cells cut off by p53
3/26/2014
The tumor suppressor p53 does all it can to prevent oncogenes from transforming normal cells into tumor cells by killing defective cells or causing them to become inactive. Sometimes oncogenes manage to initiate tumor development in the presence of p53, but, even then, the tumor suppressor doesn't give up and focuses its efforts instead on limiting the tumor's ability to invade and metastasize.
The breast microbiota
3/26/2014
The female breast contains a unique population of microbes relative to the rest of the body, according to the first-ever study of the breast microbiome. That study sought to lay the groundwork for understanding how this bacterial community contributes to health and disease, says first author Camilla Urbaniak, a PhD student at the University of Western Ontario.
Shrinking the prostate without surgery can provide long-term relief to men with this common condition that causes annoying symptoms, such as frequent trips to the bathroom, suggests a study of nearly 500 men.
Scientific breakthrough could lead to new ovarian cancer treatments
3/26/2014
The cause of a rare type of ovarian cancer that most often strikes girls and young women has been uncovered by an international research team led by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), according to a study published online by the renowned scientific journal, Nature Genetics.
Minorities would benefit from increased awareness about skin cancer
3/26/2014
More awareness about skin cancer is needed for minorities because they believe they are at low risk of developing it, says Henry Ford Hospital dermatologist Diane Jackson-Richards, M.D.Research has shown that minorities are diagnosed at a more advanced stage of skin cancer and have lower chances of survival than Caucasians.
New technology sheds light on protein interactions, points to better lung cancer therapy
3/26/2014
Scientists have a better way to study human proteins - large molecules that are part of every cell in the body - thanks to a new technology developed by University of Toronto researchers. The technology tracks a class of proteins called membrane proteins as they interact with other proteins to either maintain health or contribute to disease.
Radiation therapy fights cancer in more ways than one. Not only does it force cancer cells to self-destruct, but several studies demonstrate that it also activates the immune system to attack tumor cells. This activation can be used to boost current immunotherapies, such as anti-tumor vaccines, to produce better clinical results.
'Glue' holding together skin cells & other epithelial tissue more active than realized
3/26/2014
The strong mechanical attachments - the "glue" - that hold together the cells of the skin and the other epithelial tissues of the body are the adherens junctions.These junctions are responsible for maintaining the shape and integrity of the sheets of epithelial cells that line such body cavities as the digestive tract, as well as the surfaces of structures such as the heart.
Body fat reduced, aging slowed by deletion of FAT10 gene in mice
3/26/2014
A single gene appears to play a crucial role in coordinating the immune system and metabolism, and deleting the gene in mice reduces body fat and extends lifespan, according to new research by scientists at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center (USDA HNRCA) on Aging at Tufts University and Yale University School of Medicine.