Researchers at The Wistar Institute discovered how cells create alternate versions of mRNA transcripts by altering how they read DNA. This leads to alternative forms of proteins, which can be used in different developmental stages or cell types.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have found that the protein Foxp1 actively maintains T cells in a 'quiescent state,' allowing them to work without antigenic triggers. Removing Foxp1 enables T cells to proliferate and become activated, which could lead to new treatments for diseases like cancer.
Researchers discovered a new way to combine anti-cancer drugs, using Gamitrinib to sensitize tumor cells to TRAIL. This combination approach kills glioblastoma cells in both mouse models and human glioblastoma cells, offering a potential treatment for aggressive brain cancer.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have identified a connection between Merlin and angiomotin, two proteins involved in cell signaling pathways. This discovery may lead to a new therapeutic approach for NF2 by targeting tumor cells directly and starving them of nutrients.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute and University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have discovered protein markers that could predict ectopic pregnancies. A panel of biomarkers, weighing individual proteins' relative importance, may create a more sensitive and reliable test for detecting ectopic pregnancies.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have described the complete atomic structure formed by a yeast HAT and one of its associated proteins, revealing how a particular histone acetylation event works. This finding provides a crucial step towards understanding epigenetics and its related processes.
Researchers have developed an online tool to identify gene promoters, regions that guide transcription machinery to create specific proteins. The Mammalian Promoter Database integrates genomic sequencing data with publicly available data on human and mouse genomics.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute found that tumor cells can adapt to BRAF inhibitors by re-routing signals through alternate pathways. To overcome resistance, targeting multiple signaling pathways simultaneously is key, with compounds in clinical development showing promise.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute found that the three-dimensional structure of a genome exposes genes to regulation and chromosomal crosstalk. This structure positions groups of related genes near each other, allowing for efficient operation of genetic processes.
Scientists discover how EBV uses microRNA to create an elaborate timing mechanism, allowing it to hide within cells and evade the immune system. Removing this mechanism could enable physicians to flush EBV out of hiding and allow a healthy immune system to rid the body of the virus.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have discovered a new class of long non-coding RNA molecules that function like gene enhancer elements, promoting gene expression and potentially accounting for unknown genomic activity. This breakthrough joins a growing body of evidence challenging the central dogma of genetics.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have discovered the dimeric nature of Cdc13, a protein crucial for maintaining telomere length. This discovery sheds light on how Cdc13 regulates telomerase activity, which can help prevent telomere shortening and support cancer treatment.
A recent study by The Wistar Institute found that the newly identified human adenovirus AdHu26 commonly infects people, particularly those in Sub-Saharan Africa, rendering it an unlikely candidate as a vaccine carrier. In contrast, chimpanzee adenoviruses demonstrate similar functionality and are considered superior for mass vaccination.
Melanoma cells can self-renew and induce new tumors, defying the traditional cancer stem cell model. Targeting both bulk tumor cells and slow-growing JARID1B-positive subpopulations is proposed as a dual therapy to combat therapy resistance.
Researchers from The Wistar Institute demonstrate that mice lacking the p21 gene can regenerate lost tissue, forming a blastema and replacing damaged cells with healthy ones. This discovery provides evidence of a link between cell division control and tissue regeneration, opening up possibilities for accelerating healing in humans.
A team of Wistar Institute researchers has identified a 29-gene signature in the blood that can indicate the presence of non-small cell lung cancer at its earliest stages. This discovery could lead to the development of a simple blood test for early-stage lung cancer detection, which would greatly improve treatment outcomes.
Researchers found that targeting fibroblast activation protein (FAP) in tumor microenvironment significantly reduced tumor growth in mice. FAP promotes tumor growth by disrupting signaling pathways and biological processes required for tumor growth.
Researchers identified KLF17 as a key gene involved in breast cancer metastasis. The study found that expression of KLF17 together with Id1 accurately predicts whether the disease will spread to the lymph nodes.
A team of researchers from The Wistar Institute have shown that a large non-coding RNA in mammals and yeast plays a central role in helping maintain telomeres. Manipulating this RNA's expression may be useful in treating cancer and other diseases.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have identified a protein called Blimp-1 that can help reprogram exhausted immune cells into more effective 'soldiers' against certain viruses and cancers. By understanding how Blimp-1 suppresses normal immune responses, scientists may develop new strategies to prevent and treat chronic infections.
A team of researchers refuted a popular hypothesis about the failure of the Merck STEP HIV vaccine study by finding no correlation between pre-existing neutralizing antibodies and increased susceptibility to infection. The study analyzed blood samples from participants with varying degrees of pre-existing immunity to Ad5 and found that...
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have defined a key target of an evolutionarily conserved protein that regulates the process of aging. Deacetylation of histone H4K16 by Sir2 maintains telomere stability, crucial for yeast cells to replicate and live longer.
Researchers found seven different receptors on T cells that can tamp down immune responses, leading to exhaustion. Blocking multiple inhibitory receptors, such as PD-1 and LAG-3, improved T cell responses and viral control.
Researchers identify a small molecule that blocks miR-21, a key player in brain and various types of cancer. The discovery offers new hope for developing targeted cancer therapies with fewer side effects.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have found a way to restore vigor to exhausted killer T cells by blocking the programmed death-1 (PD-1) receptor. This breakthrough may lead to new therapies for diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B and C, and cancer.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have deciphered the structure of telomerase, an enzyme playing a major role in nearly all human cancers. This achievement paves the way for new cancer treatments and anti-aging therapies by understanding how to deactivate telomerase.
Scientists at The Wistar Institute have developed a novel enzyme inhibitor that effectively blocks a key biochemical pathway in cancer development. By targeting the PI3K enzyme, the agent shows promise in treating melanoma by dampening overactive enzyme activity that leads to uncontrolled tumor growth.
Terry McDermott, a Los Angeles Times staff writer, won the 2008 Wistar Institute Science Journalism Award for his four-part investigative study on memory. The judges praised his exhaustive reporting and commended him for bringing to light a scientific problem that has defied explanation for decades.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have solved the structure of p300/CBP, a gene regulator implicated in deadliest cancers. The breakthrough reveals how p300/CBP regulates a wide variety of genes and enables the development of targeted cancer therapies.
Scientists at The Wistar Institute have developed a novel vaccine design strategy that uses a herpes simplex protein to block a specific receptor molecule on antigen-presenting cells. This allows for a stronger immune response and potential protection against viral diseases like AIDS and cervical cancer.
Two microRNAs, miR-373 and miR-520c, have been identified as promoting the spread of tumor cells. The study found that miR-373 is a potential biomarker for metastatic breast cancer and may be used to develop new treatments.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have discovered that an HIV vaccine construct incorporating the adeno-associated virus (AAV) directly impairs the immune response to the HIV virus. The study's findings suggest that AAV vaccines against HIV may cause more harm than good, and their use in humans should be reconsidered.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have deciphered the three-dimensional structure of a telomerase domain essential for its activity. This finding may lead to the development of direct inhibitors of telomerase, a promising new target for anti-cancer therapies. The study's insights into normal aging are also warranted.
Scientists at The Wistar Institute have solved the three-dimensional structure of a molecular complex of pRb and E1A, revealing how the viral protein disrupts normal cell growth. This discovery sheds light on related mechanisms used by other viruses to trigger cancers.
A new study shows that immune cells battling chronic viral infections undergo changes that make them progressively less effective over time. Interventions, such as blocking the PD-1 pathway, can alleviate T-cell exhaustion and restore disease-fighting capability.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute discovered that the addition of a single molecule at a specific site on p53 protein represses its activity, while adding a second copy reverses this effect. This nuanced regulation is crucial for maintaining optimal balance between cancer protection and normal growth.
The Wistar Institute's novel HIV vaccine has received funding for human clinical trials after demonstrating a vigorous immune response in preclinical studies. The vaccine uses a chimpanzee virus backbone and aims to stimulate CD8+ T cells, which can reduce viral load but not prevent infection.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute discovered a mechanism where the gene-transcription machinery can be paused by the ubiquitin molecule until a triggering signal is received. This pause allows for quick activation of genes in response to stress or vital needs, such as stem-cell differentiation.
Scientists have discovered a novel gene-silencing mechanism that blocks cellular machinery responsible for protein production. This mechanism, involving microRNAs and ribosome interference, has implications for anti-cancer interventions and may be conserved across species.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have identified an 'insulator' - a stretch of DNA about 800 base pairs long - that serves as a physical barrier between active and inactive regions of the HSV-1 genome. This discovery may lead to strategies to manipulate the virus, and could provide targets for designing drugs to disrupt its mechanisms.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have developed a novel antigen-cloning technique that may boost efforts to develop a melanoma vaccine. The new approach has been used to identify a tumor antigen called ribosomal protein L8 (RPL8), which has the potential to elicit both helper T cell and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses.
Scientists at The Wistar Institute found that CD8 T cells generated to fight chronic infections operate under a different maintenance scheme than those in acute infections. These cells have a rapid turnover and are dependent on the virus for their continuation, which could be manipulated to design new therapeutic options.
Researchers identify JARID1d, an enzyme that removes trimethylation marks from histone H3, allowing genes to be active. The discovery sheds light on the mechanisms governing gene control and its importance for health.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute discovered that microRNAs can undergo molecular editing, redirecting them to target and silence entirely different sets of genes. This process has significant physiological consequences, such as altering the production of essential enzymes involved in synthesizing uric acid.
A new study from The Wistar Institute suggests that a component of the common vitamin B3, nicotinamide, binds to sirtuin molecules and inhibits their activity. Activating these enzymes could have anti-aging effects and help counteract age-related health problems like obesity and type II diabetes.
Research suggests that non-coding RNA forms interact with each other and genes to manage the genome, influencing processes like embryonic development and cancer formation. The discovery of RNA editing mechanisms, such as ADAR and microRNAs, reveals a subtle level of genome control.
Researchers used advanced microscopy techniques to visualize T cells actively migrating through and killing tumor cells in real-time. The study provides new insights into the mechanisms of interaction between T cells and tumor cells, with the presence of antigen determining migration and interaction.
Researchers propose that natural selection drives the evolution of cancer, with tumor cells constantly evolving through mutation and selection. This understanding could lead to new therapeutic strategies, such as targeting benign cells to outcompete malignant ones.
Researchers discovered a new pathway that regulates the p53 protein, a key molecule controlling cancer in humans. The study suggests potential approaches to diagnosing or intervening in cancer progression.
A study at The Wistar Institute found that blocking certain enzymes may inhibit chronic inflammation in blood vessel walls, but also promotes leukemia in mice. The researchers identified a strain of mice lacking the gene for a specific lipoxygenase enzyme, which closely mimics human CML and offers a new model for studying the disease.