(Press-News.org) Athens, Ga. ¬¬-- New University of Georgia research, published this week in the early online edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, has found that blocking the action of an enzyme called GnT-V significantly delays the onset and spread of tumors in mice with cancer very similar to many cases of human breast cancer.
When the GnT-V enzyme activity in the cells was increased in mammary gland cells, they increased proliferation and began to take on many characteristics of cancer cells. Using a mouse model of human breast cancer, tumors appeared when the enzyme was deleted, but onset was delayed an average of 10 weeks in the mice.
"In human terms," said Michael Pierce, director of the UGA Cancer Center and study co-author, "the corresponding delay would be many months and maybe years. You basically are slowing everything down and keeping the cancer from forming and progressing very early." Slowing the pace of the cancer could eliminate its spread to other organs, keeping it localized where it could be treated successfully, Pierce explained.
The researchers, lead by Hua-Bei Guo, assistant research scientist in the department of biochemistry and molecular biology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, stimulated breast cancer formation in mouse mammary glands by over-expressing a her-2 protein that is a growth receptor on the cell surface. The researchers note that over-expression of her-2 is associated with 25 to 30 percent of human breast cancers.
The GnT-V enzyme makes glycans, which are sugars on the cell surface that change in defined ways when the cell becomes cancerous. Glycans are released from the cell as glycoproteins, making them a promising early-detection marker in blood. The researchers studied a glycan made by GnT-V that appears when normal breast cells become cancerous. The GnT-V glycan product is found on her-2 and other receptors and acts to regulate the number of cancer stem cells in the tissue. The number of these cancer stem cells determines how rapidly the cancer will form and develop.
"Glycans often are ignored by scientists, because they're very complicated and present unusual problems to identify and understand," said Pierce. "This study is an example of how particular glycans that are present on various cell receptors can actually modulate the onset of tumor formation. That may give us new drug targets and new ways to kill the cancer cells specifically."
The finding of Guo and the research team at UGA's Complex Carbohydrate Research Center that the elimination of a glycan-synthesizing enzyme significantly reduced the population of breast cancer stem cells is unprecedented, they note.
"That population of cells appears to drive breast tumor formation in many cases," said Pierce, who also is UGA's Mudter Professor in Cancer Research, "and our research suggests that glycans may be potential targets to kill them selectively."
Pierce likened the cancerous stem cells to the queen of an ant colony. "You can try to get rid of the anthill, but it will just come back if you don't kill the queen," Pierce said. "If we can target those cancer stem cells for elimination, that would be the most effective treatment."
###
The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health. For more information on the UGA Cancer Center, see www.uga.edu/cancercenter/.
END
Physical activity promotes changes in the brain that may protect high-risk individuals against cognitive decline, including development of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study done at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM).
J. Carson Smith, an assistant professor of health sciences, included in the study both people who carry a high-risk gene for Alzheimer's disease, and other healthy older adults without the gene.
"Our study suggests that if you are at genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease, the benefits of exercise to your brain function might be even ...
Months of volcanic restlessness preceded the eruptions this spring of Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull, providing insight into what roused it from its centuries of slumber.
An international team of researchers analyzed geophysical changes in the long-dormant volcano leading up to its eruptions in March and April 2010. In a study published in the Nov. 18 issue of the journal Nature, the scientists suggest that magma flowing beneath the volcano may have triggered its reawakening.
"Several months of unrest preceded the eruptions, with magma moving around downstairs in ...
College students participating in a new study on online courses said they felt less connected and had a smaller sense of classroom community than those who took the same classes in person – but that didnt keep online students from performing just as well as their in-person counterparts.
The study by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln gauged students' perception and performance in three undergraduate science courses that had both online and face-to-face class versions. It found that online students did not feel a sense of cohesion, community spirit, trust or interaction, ...
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Nine supercomputers have been tested, validated and ranked by the new "Graph500" challenge, first introduced this week by an international team led by Sandia National Laboratories. The list of submitters and the order of their finish was released Nov. 17 at the supercomputing conference SC10 meeting in New Orleans.
The machines were tested for their ability to solve complex problems involving random-appearing graphs, rather than for their speed in solving a basic numerical problem, today's popular method for ranking top systems.
"Some, whose supercomputers ...
A recent study (1) suggesting that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may be attributed to "repetitive head trauma experienced in collision sports" lacks scientific epidemiological evidence to support this claim. In a review of the 12-patient study, several experts specializing in motor neuron diseases challenge the findings as entirely pathological and without clinical merit. Their editorial, which aims to dispel doubts of Lou Gehrig's ALS diagnosis, is now available online in the peer-reviewed journal Muscle & Nerve.
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive ...
People who contract gastroenteritis from drinking water contaminated with E coli are at an increased risk of developing high blood pressure, kidney problems and heart disease in later life, finds a study published online in the British Medical Journal.
The findings underline the importance of ensuring a safe food and water supply and the need for regular monitoring for those affected.
It is estimated that E coli O157:H7 infections cause up to 120,000 gastro-enteric illnesses annually in the US alone, resulting in over 2,000 hospitalizations and 60 deaths. However, ...
Kuwait Bilingual School was established in 1998 in Al-Jahra City, Kuwait, by Saleh Al Mekhlef, with the backing of Sheikh Ali Al Salem Al Ali Al Sabah. The first private bilingual school in the north of the country, Kuwait Bilingual School made quality education accessible to students from Al-Jahra City and its surrounding areas.
Kuwait Bilingual School has been around for 12 years now, and clearly knows what they need. "There are many providers for such school software systems," says Mr. Ghassan Jilani, Director General, Kuwait Bilingual School. "But, from my long experience ...
A new website aimed at home and garden lovers has just been launched with the aim of describing the many different types of solar powered outdoor lightings and why they would be a great way to light up their outdoor living areas.
'I created this website to help home and garden enthusiasts become aware of the variety of solar powered lights that are available' said Leo Bookham. 'If people knew just what types of solar lights do exist, they could easily enhance and light up their outdoor living areas and to also do this themselves without the need to hire professionals ...
Probably the two most important aspects of a business owner's life are family and money. Therefore, it makes sense that when two entrepreneurs are considering forming a partnership, they communicate openly about these two topics. Partners who share similar views on family and money are more likely to find success.
Characteristics to Evaluate in a Prospective Partner Part 3 is the latest article by entrepreneurial expert Michele DeKinder-Smith. The article reveals why it is absolutely crucial for two prospective business partners to open discussions about money and family ...
Since 1986 Dr. Paul has practiced dentistry in Fullerton. Coming from a family of dentists, this graduate of the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry, San Francisco is offering comprehensive dental care for the entire family. His recently launched website, PaulNelsonDental.com is putting people in touch with the friendly and effective services that are available at his clinic while giving valuable information that will help every member of the family to receive the best dental care.
Dr. Paul approaches dentistry as the perfect blend of his fascination with ...
