PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Protein discovery could switch off cardiovascular disease

Scientists discover protein and move a step closer to preventing cardiovascular disease

2012-03-12
(Press-News.org) Researchers from Queen Mary, University of London and the University of Surrey have found a protein inside blood vessels with an ability to protect the body from substances which cause cardiovascular disease.

The findings, published online in the journal Cardiovascular Research, have revealed the protein protein pregnane X receptor (PXR) can switch on different protective pathways in the blood vessels.

Co-author Dr David Bishop-Bailey, based at Queen Mary's William Harvey Research Institute, said they found the protein was able to sense a wide variety of drugs, foreign chemicals and food products in the blood and switch on specific pathways to deal with them.

"We've known for a long time that this protein has an important role sorting out waste products in the liver - now we believe it could have an important role in protecting the body against cardiovascular disease," he said.

Dr Karen Swales, based at the University of Surrey, said: "Heart and circulatory disease is the UK's biggest killer. Discovering that the protein pregnane X receptor (PXR) could protect blood vessels has major implications for the prevention of cardiovascular disease."

"We knew if PXR played similar protective roles in blood vessels to those in the liver, it could protect the vessels from damage caused by harmful substances in the blood."

The researchers used human tissue and blood vessel cells in culture and found PXR was present and active.

Dr Bishop-Bailey added: "We introduced specific PXR activating drugs and saw a co-ordinated increase in metabolising and anti-oxidant enzyme pathways.

"Since blood travels everywhere in the body, PXR has the potential to provide protection not just through its actions in the liver, but anywhere in the entire body. If we can work out how to manipulate PXR to turn on detoxification and antioxidant pathways in blood vessels, we may be a step closer to preventing our nation's biggest killer."

INFORMATION:

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

A new approach to treating type I diabetes? Gut cells transformed into insulin factories

2012-03-12
NEW YORK, NY -- A study by Columbia researchers suggests that cells in the patient's intestine could be coaxed into making insulin, circumventing the need for a stem cell transplant. Until now, stem cell transplants have been seen by many researchers as the ideal way to replace cells lost in type I diabetes and to free patients from insulin injections. The research—conducted in mice—was published 11 March 2012 in the journal Nature Genetics. Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease that destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. The pancreas cannot replace these ...

Childhood TBIs Can Cause Serious Developmental Delays

2012-03-12
Medical professionals have long thought that traumatic brain injuries do not affect young children as significantly as they do adults. Two new studies, however, suggest otherwise. Young children suffering from severe traumatic brain injuries (TBI) may actually suffer continued impairment later in life than experts first thought. The studies yielded important new information on childhood traumatic brain injuries. Children who suffered severe traumatic brain injuries, for example, had slower intellectual functioning, showing that the traumatic brain injury may have affected ...

Antidepressant shows promise as cancer treatment

2012-03-12
A retinoid called all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), which is a vitamin A-derivative, is already used successfully to treat a rare sub-type of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), however this drug has not been effective for the more common types of AMLs. Team leader Arthur Zelent, Ph.D., and colleagues at the ICR have been working to unlock the potential of retinoids to treat other patients with AML. In a paper published in Nature Medicine today, they show that the key could be an antidepressant called tranylcypromine (TCP). "Retinoids have already transformed one rare type ...

North Atlanta Hotel Offers Special Rates for 2012 NCAA South Regional Men's Basketball Tournament at Georgia Dome

2012-03-12
The newly renovated Comfort Inn & Conference Center Northeast in Atlanta, near Doraville, offers special rates to fans attending the 2012 NCAA South Regional Men's Basketball Tournament at the Georgia Dome in downtown Atlanta, GA. The Road to the Final Four , the NCAA South Regional (Division I) tournament will be held from March 23 - 25, 2012. Featuring the NCAA "Sweet 16 " and "Elite Eight " Rounds of the NCAA Tournament, this year's winner of the two-day event will be awarded a spot in the 2012 NCAA Final FOUR that will be held in New Orleans. Located ...

Atlanta Perimeter Hotel Offers Special Members Only Savings to Starwood Preferred Guests

2012-03-12
Sheraton Atlanta Perimeter Hotel North, located in Sandy Springs, GA near Atlanta Perimeter Center, announces a new special savings package. Travelers can enjoy luxury for less with this exclusive offer for members of the Starwood Preferred Guest program. Book weekend stays now through March 31, 2013 and enjoy: - Up to 35% off Best Available rates - Continental breakfast for two Reference rate plan SPG35B. Offer is subject to availability; some restrictions may apply. "Conveniently situated only 15 miles north of downtown Atlanta and near many of the areas points ...

Dual solidification mechanisms of liquid ternary Fe-Cu-Sn alloy

Dual solidification mechanisms of liquid ternary Fe-Cu-Sn alloy
2012-03-12
Peritectic solidification involves the nucleation and growth of the primary phase, the peritectic reaction of the primary phase with the remnant liquid phase, and the microstructural evolution of the product peritectic phase. It provides an effective approach for the synthesis or processing of various kinds of advanced materials. Professor WEI Bingbo and his group from the Department of Applied Physics, Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU), in Xi'an, China, have demonstrated novel dual solidification mechanisms for a ternary Fe47.5Cu47.5Sn5 peritectic-type alloy. ...

Lawrenceville Clinic in Gwinnett County Offers Spring Allergy Treatments for Patients

2012-03-12
Rodriguez MD, a leading Lawrenceville clinic and bilingual Lawrenceville family practice near Gwinnett Medical Center, is currently offering spring allergy testing and treatments. This includes treatments for inhalant allergies, reactions to foods, hay fever, chronic sinus problems, immune disorders, eczema, and hives. Rodriguez MD offers comprehensive evaluations; then they will provide diagnosis and sustainable treatment plans. This may include giving allergy shots. The spring season is a common time for people to experience increased reactions to allergies caused ...

Circumcision may help protect against prostate cancer

2012-03-12
A new analysis led by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has found that circumcision before a male's first sexual intercourse may help protect against prostate cancer. Published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study suggests that circumcision can hinder infection and inflammation that may lead to this malignancy. Infections are known to cause cancer, and research suggests that sexually transmitted infections may contribute to the development of prostate cancer. Also, certain sexually transmitted infections ...

More children now living with 'life-limiting' conditions

2012-03-12
The number of children with conditions such as muscular dystrophy, neurodegenerative disorders or severe cerebral palsy who are surviving into adulthood has been underestimated, a new study shows. Research led from the University of Leeds, has shown that the number of children and young adults in England with a 'life limiting condition'* is far higher than had previously been thought and is increasing year on year. As numbers continue to rise, this will place a growing burden on paediatric palliative care providers and young adult services, particularly in deprived areas. The ...

Home Business Opportunity From Ambit Energy Unveiled At EnergyIncome77.com

2012-03-12
Energy is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States. Prior to deregulation, there was an energy monopoly which generally set the rates that consumers paid. Because of the lack of competition, it became very easy for a company to make tremendous profits at the expense of the consumer. When deregulation came into the picture, the energy industry opened its doors for competition in the marketplace - creating a win/win situation for the consumer. Ambit Energy is a leading energy provider supplying natural gas and electricity to residents in Texas, New York, Illinois, ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Women’s brain regions may lose ability to synchronize after sexual assault

Quitting smoking, even late in life, linked to slower cognitive decline

Critical raw materials are a vital new currency; Europe’s e-waste is the vault

Anesthesiologist-led care helps hip-fracture patients get to surgery faster, with fewer complications

Two-dose recombinant shingles vaccine is effective even accounting for prior receipt of live shingles vaccine

Excessive daytime sleepiness may raise risk of cognitive problems after surgery

Flipping the switch on sperm motility offers new hope for male infertility

Twisting sound: Scientists discover a new way to control mechanical vibrations in metamaterial

Drip by drip: The hidden blueprint for stalagmite growth

mRNA therapy restores sperm production and fertility in mice

New way to weaken cancer cells could supercharge prostate cancer treatment

How sound—but not touch—shapes rhythm in the brain

Exploring the therapeutic potential of hypothermia

Research alert: Bioengineering breathes new life into failed cancer treatment

AI, health, and health care today and tomorrow – the JAMA Summit Report on artificial intelligence

Large genetic study links cannabis use to psychiatric, cognitive and physical health

Social media use trajectories and cognitive performance in adolescents

Music for the brain: Study tests the effect of slow-tempo relaxing music to address delirium in critically ill older adults 

AI models predict sepsis in children, allow preemptive care

Liraglutide vs semaglutide vs dulaglutide in veterans with type 2 diabetes

Antenatal corticosteroids and infectious diseases throughout childhood

New lab-grown human embryo model produces blood cells

Life after near death: Research reveals how to improve support for near-death experiencers

Illinois Chat is launched for campus community

FAU receives $3M federal grant to prevent substance use in at-risk youth

New report shows action to improve gender equity linked to career gains and better business performance

Kiwis could help manage chronic constipation

Breast, lung, and bladder cancer phase 3 trials led by Dana-Farber presented at ESMO Congress 2025

New open-source software allows for efficient 3D printing with multiple materials

Decoding the secrets of ‘chemo brain’

[Press-News.org] Protein discovery could switch off cardiovascular disease
Scientists discover protein and move a step closer to preventing cardiovascular disease