science newsletter: Science News SciGuru.com

Πέμπτη 27 Ιουνίου 2013

Science News SciGuru.com

Zinc is essential for brain development and embryonic survival
Drug targeting Tau phosphorylation in Alzheimer's Disease
Researchers believe killing stem cells is key to improving cancer treatment

Zinc is essential for brain development and embryonic survival

Posted: 26 Jun 2013 09:39 PM PDT

A new study shows that prevention of zinc uptake by neurons in embryogenesis impair neuronal sprouting and growth. The scientists used gene knockdown models to prevent zinc uptake through a membrane transporter in the brain called ZIP12. The ZAP12 pathway block also resulted in embryonic lethality.

Drug targeting Tau phosphorylation in Alzheimer's Disease

Posted: 26 Jun 2013 05:20 PM PDT

Scientists now demonstrate a new potential target in the fight against Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. They have found that certain small molecules can inhibit phosphorylation of a key protein, called tau, involved in Alzheimer's disease. Tau phoshorylation has been known to be associated with the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's and other neurodenerative diseases.

Researchers believe killing stem cells is key to improving cancer treatment

Posted: 26 Jun 2013 09:00 AM PDT

A major reason that breast cancer returns after treatment and spreads to other parts of the body is that current chemotherapy and radiation treatments do not kill the cancer stem cells.

That premise provides the basis for a clinical trial open at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center and two other sites testing a drug that has been found in laboratory studies to attack cancer stem cells. The drug, reparixin, will be used in combination with standard chemotherapy.