HIV uses autophagy for its own means
Not satisfied with simply thwarting its host's defensive maneuvers, HIV actually twists one to its advantage, based on new findings from Kyei et al. in the July 27, 2009 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology (www.jcb.org). Vojo Deretic and colleagues suggest that autophagy-a stress response process-helps HIV to proliferate and that conversely,... view more... (2009-07-27)
Waste disposal protein is mechanism behind cancer tumor suppression
"Taking out the trash" takes on a whole new meaning, as investigators at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, have discovered that a waste disposal protein is the key to cancer tumor suppression in a process known as autophagy. view more (2009-06-12)
Scientists advance safety of nanotechnology
Scientists have identified for the first time a mechanism by which nanoparticles cause lung damage and have demonstrated that it can be combated by blocking the process involved, taking a step toward addressing the growing concerns over the safety of nanotechnology. view more (2009-06-11)
Muscle atrophy through thick but not thin
During desperate times, such as fasting, or muscle wasting that afflicts cancer or AIDS patients, the body cannibalizes itself, atrophying and breaking down skeletal muscle proteins to liberate amino acids. view more (2009-06-08)
Enhancing the effects of the drug used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia
Individuals with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) are first treated with a drug known as imatinib mesylate. Although very effective, as the disease progresses it often becomes resistant to the drug. view more (2009-04-14)
Therapeutic effect of imatinib improved with addition of chloroquine
The therapeutic effects of the blockbuster leukemia drug imatinib may be enhanced when given along with a drug that inhibits a cell process called autophagy, researchers from the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson reported in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. view more (2009-04-14)
Self-digestion as a means of survival
In times of starvation, cells tighten their belts: they start to digest their own proteins and cellular organs. The process - known as autophagy - takes place in special organelles called autophagosomes. view more (2009-02-27)
Helicobacter pylori can multiply in autophagic vesicles
Helicobacter pylori, a Gram-negative, flagellated, microaerophilic bacterium, can selectively colonize in the human stomach. Its infection is widespread throughout the world, and is present in about 50% of the global human population with 80% in developing countries and 20-50% in industrialized countries. view more (2009-01-28)
Toxicity mechanism identified for Parkinson's disease
Neurologists have observed for decades that Lewy bodies, clumps of aggregated proteins inside cells, appear in the brains of patients with Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. view more (2009-01-05)
Dormant cancer cells rely on cellular self-cannibalization to survive
A single tumor-suppressing gene is a key to understanding, and perhaps killing, dormant ovarian cancer cells that persist after initial treatment only to reawaken years later, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center report in the December Journal of Clinical Investigation. view more (2009-01-05)
Could vitamin D save us from radiation?
Radiological health expert Daniel Hayes, Ph.D., of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene suggests that a form of vitamin D could be one of our body's main protections against damage from low levels of radiation. view more (2008-11-10)
Proteomics Study Yields Clues As To How Tuberculosis Might Be Thwarting The Immune System
A link between the immune system and the self-cleaning system by which biological cells rid themselves of obsolete or toxic parts may one day yield new weapons in the fight against tuberculosis and other deadly infectious diseases. view more (2008-11-06)
Form of Crohn's disease traced to disabled gut cells
Scientists report online this week in Nature that they have linked the health of specialized gut immune cells to a gene associated with Crohn's disease, an often debilitating and increasingly prevalent inflammatory bowel disorder. view more (2008-10-06)
Researchers uncover attack mechanism of illness-inducing bacterium found in shellfish
An infectious ocean-dwelling bacterium found in oysters and other shellfish kills its host's cells by causing them to burst, providing the invader with a nutrient-rich meal, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found. view more (2008-08-19)
International team identifies 21 new genetic risk factors for Crohn's disease
An international consortium of Crohn's disease researchers has combined data from three independent studies to identify 21 new genetic variants associated with the inflammatory bowel disorder, bringing the total number of risk factors to 32. view more (2008-06-30)
Cellular self-eating promotes pancreatitis
To survive tough times, cells sometimes resort to a form of self-cannibalism called autophagy. But as Hashimoto et al. reveal, autophagy can have a down side, destroying the pancreas by prematurely activating a digestive enzyme. view more (2008-06-30)
A protein sequence associated with Huntington's disease may become life-saving vaccine component
On June 10, 2008 the scientific journal "Vaccine" published a paper by the Massachusetts based biotech company Cure Lab, Inc., demonstrating that a protein sequence important in neurodegenerative Huntington's disease can be safely used as a new generation of vaccine adjuvants. view more (2008-06-11)
Researchers discover architecture for fundamental processes of life
A team of Canadian researchers has completed a massive survey of the network of protein complexes that orchestrate the fundamental processes of life. view more (2008-05-14)
Unexpected role: EGFR protects cancer cells from starving
A growth factor receptor found abundantly on the surface of cancer cells and long known to fuel cancer growth also protects tumor cells from starvation by a newly identified mechanism. view more (2008-05-06)
Nixing immaturity in red blood cells
A process of self-digestion called autophagy prompts the maturation of red blood cells. Without a protein called Nix, the cells would not effectively rid themselves of organelles called mitochondria and consequently become short-lived, leading to anemia, said researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston in a report that appears online... view more... (2008-05-05)
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