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Trigger found for autoimmune heart attacks

Scientists at Joslin Diabetes Center have found that a protein called alpha-myosin heavy chain triggers inflammatory heart disease in people with type 1 diabetes. The discovery could lead to diagnostic and therapeutic tools for this condition, which is often fatal.

SourceJoslin Diabetes Center·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateMar 23, 2011

Wasting away in muscle-ville

Researchers identified myosin heavy chain as a selective target in cancer cachexia, a condition characterized by muscle wasting. The study found that TNF-a/IFN-g-dependent loss of myosin heavy chain occurred through different mechanisms depending on the model used.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateAug 2, 2004