Antibiotic offers potential for anti-cancer activity
2011-01-29
(Press-News.org) INDIANAPOLIS – An antibiotic known for its immunosuppressive functions could also point the way to the development of new anti-cancer agents, researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine have reported.
The study determined that the compound, tautomycetin, targets an enzyme called SHP2, which plays an important role in cell activities such as proliferation and differentiation. Interestingly, SHP2 mutations are also known to cause several types of leukemia and solid tumors. The findings were reported in the Jan. 28, 2011, issue of the journal Chemistry and Biology.
The potential for developing anti-cancer agents grew out of an attempt to determine how the compound, tautomycetin, exerts its immune suppression activities, said Zhong-Yin Zhang, Ph.D., Robert A. Harris Professor and chairman of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
The finding is also encouraging because SHP2 is a member of a large family of enzymes called protein tyrosine phosphotases (PTPs), which are important in the signaling processes that control all essential cellular functions. Dysregulation of PTP activity has been linked to several human diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and immune dysfunctions. But their makeup has made it difficult to find potential drugs to act on them, characteristics that have labeled the PTPs as "undruggable," Dr. Zhang said.
"So we have identified a lead – a natural product produced by the bacteria Streptomyces – that should serve as a foundation for the development of therapeutic agents for a large family of protein tyrosine phosphotase targets. Until now these targets, including SHP2 for leukemia and other cancers, have been deemed undruggable," he said.
###
Dr. Zhang is a member of the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center.
Funding for the research was supplied by the National Institutes of Health.
END
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
2011-01-29
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Engineers have created a new type of "stereo vision" to use in studying ocean waves as they pound against the shore, providing a better way to understand and monitor this violent, ever-changing environment.
The approach, which uses two video cameras to feed data into an advanced computer system, can observe large areas of ocean waves in real time and help explain what they are doing and why, scientists say.
The system may be of particular value as climate change and rising sea levels pose additional challenges to vulnerable shorelines around the world, ...
2011-01-29
HOUSTON - Practicing stress management techniques before prostate cancer surgery may help activate the body's immune response leading to quicker recovery, as well as aid in lowering mood disturbance, according to a new study by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
The study is published in the February/March edition of the journal Psychosomatic Medicine. It's the first to examine the effects pre-surgery stress management training has on immune outcomes in men with prostate cancer undergoing radical prostatectomy (surgical removal of the prostate). ...
2011-01-29
Ecology drives evolution. In today's issue of the journal Science, UC Davis expert Thomas Schoener describes growing evidence that the reverse is also true, and explores what that might mean to our understanding of how environmental change affects species and vice-versa.
A classic example of ecology influencing evolution is seen in a Galápagos ground finch, Geospiza fortis. In this species, larger beaks dominated the population after dry years when large seeds were more abundant. After wet years, the direction of natural selection reversed, favoring smaller beaks that ...
2011-01-29
ANN ARBOR, Mich.---A majority of African American men said they do not go to the doctor because visits are stressful and physicians don't give adequate information on how to make prescribed behavior or lifestyle changes, a new University of Michigan study shows.
When they did go, the majority of the 105 men questioned said they disliked the tone physicians used with them. When those men did visit the doctor, they said it was because they were seeking test results or their family encouraged them to go.
Men often said they knew they needed to lose weight, change eating ...
2011-01-29
ANN ARBOR, Mich.---Some orthodontists may be exposing young patients to unnecessary radiation when they order 3-D X-ray imaging for simple orthodontic cases before considering traditional 2-D imaging, suggests a paper published by University of Michigan faculty.
There is ongoing debate in the orthodontic community over if and when to use cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) for orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning, said Dr. Sunil Kapila, lead author of the paper and chair of the Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry at the U-M School of Dentistry.
A ...
2011-01-29
Crystal Pharmatech Co. Ltd has reached an agreement with BrightGene Bio-medical technology Co. Ltd to provide in-depth solid state research support including but not limited to: salt/polymorph screening, basic physicochemical characterization, process development support including crystallization optimization, chiral resolution, and particle size analysis. The agreement is in place for a period of one year with further agreements to be evaluated at a later date.
"This agreement is the pioneer collaboration between a dedicated solid state research company in China and ...
2011-01-29
Waiting Room Solutions (WRS) (www.waitingroomsolutions.com), a leading web-based EHR and PM provider, announced today that Michael Last Internal Medicine PC has chosen to implement the 2011 Waiting Room Solutions Web Based Internal Medicine Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Practice Management System (PM) V4.0.
Michael Last Internal Medicine PC was founded in Westminster, CO in February 2010. Michael Last, MD is the sole practice physician, and he has over twelve years of clinical experience. Dr. Last sees patients both in-office and at hospitals such as the North Suburban ...
2011-01-29
Rather than adopting a trial and error approach, whereby each parameter is examined on an individual basis and interactions between these parameters cannot be easily detected, in today's industry the statistical Design of Experiments (DoE) is generally applied. In order for the development based on the Design of Experiments (DoE) concept to be regarded as a success, it is essential that any experiments are performed within an accurately controlled framework under accurately maintained and reproducible conditions, thus enabling the target output variable (e.g. selectivity ...
2011-01-29
Valentine's day is no better time to express love to your beloved. Bunch of roses, chocolates, champagne,etc are traditional gifts for lovers. Do you have any other idea about Valentine's day gift? How about making a unique movie, the movie only about you and your beloved. It can be labeled as funny one or nostalgia,just as you prefer. If you have JVC,Canon FS300,FS200 or Panasonic MOD SD camcorder on hand, now you can begin the recording job. Alternatively, find out the old clips to directly proceed its post-production. Supposed you are Mac users, there are couples of ...
2011-01-29
Now is the time when many people start slipping with their New Year's resolutions. For a limited time, the iBelly Workout app is available free of charge. Users can literally use their iPhone or iPod touch to get stronger, flatter abs. The iBelly Workout app is the first-of-its-kind where people don't use their hands to control what's happening on the screen, but instead they use their stomach. The app makes working out fun and helps people strengthen those oblique muscles and trim down their love handles.
With the Exercise & Workout program, users select how many reps ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
[Press-News.org] Antibiotic offers potential for anti-cancer activity
