Story Ideas from the Journal of Biological Chemistry
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)1) Fat Hormone may Contribute to Longevity; 2) Unraveling the Silky Spider's Web.
1) Fat Hormone may Contribute to Longevity; 2) Unraveling the Silky Spider's Web.
Scientists report that the concentration of a compound called apolipoprotein B in the blood is better at predicting whether Chinese have coronary heart disease "“ in which fatty deposits clog arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart "“ than other substances such as blood cholesterol levels.
Scientists have shown that a protein that is present in the blood may accelerate the development of atherosclerosis.
Scientists report that adding typically found in fish oil to baby formula may help infants better regulate their blood sugar and make more proteins in their muscle cells. These results may help make better decisions when dealing with pre-term birth, low birth weight, and feeding of infants in intensive care.
Researchers report the most complete list so far of the proteins present in the cerebral cortex, which could help understand how neurodegenerative diseases develop and maybe find ways to slow it down.
Researchers have developed a new way of detecting the abnormal presence of complexes of sugars and proteins in the blood of cancer patients, thus providing a new tool for cancer diagnosis.
Researchers have identified proteins that could be used to improve the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common type of liver cancer.
Scientists have shown that people with Alzheimer's disease and related conditions exhibit decreased blood levels of an important brain chemical called ethanolamine plasmalogen, even at the very early stages of the disease.
Paul F. Pilch (Boston University School of Medicine) and colleagues review current knowledge about small pockets called caveolae located on the surface of fat cells.
Scientists have shown that when either lean or obese individuals exercise after eating a high fat meal, their fats are broken down and oxidized in skeletal muscle, making them healthier.
Scientists have provided new details about how a drug used against heart disease helps to unclog blood vessels from an excess of cholesterol and fats.
Researchers report that fasting or eating half as much as usual every other day may shrink your fat cells and boost mechanisms that break down fats.
Scientists have shown for the first time that platelets, the cells needed for blood clotting, help white blood cells called neutrophils fight inflammation. The results of the study could lead to new anti-inflammatory compounds for the treatment of inflammatory vascular injury.
Scientists have described a new technique that can detect how proteins undergo changes inside a cell. The technique promises to improve our understanding of how proteins inside cells work and identify how some proteins are not modified properly in common diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
Researchers have identified unique proteins that allow a unicellular alga called Dunaliella salina to proliferate in environments with extreme salt content. These results might provide ways to help crop plants resist the progressive accumulation of salt in soil, which is a major limitation for agricultural productivity worldwide.
Researchers report the most complete list so far of proteins present in a virus that causes severe shrimp mortality and significant economic losses to shrimp cultivation worldwide.
Researchers have provided new details about the inner workings of a parasitic worm that causes a tropical disease called schistosomiasis, which leads to itchy skin, fever, chills, muscle aches, and liver disease that, in some cases, can be fatal.
In the August issue of Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, scientists provide the first large-scale identification of proteins that are overexpressed in chronic pancreatitis, an inflammatory condition of the pancreas that shares many features with pancreatic cancer. The information will help diagnose the early stages of both diseases.
Scientists have provided new details about how cancer cells spread by surrounding themselves with platelets "“ the blood cells needed for blood clotting. These results could help design new drugs that prevent cancer cells from metastasizing, or spreading throughout the body.
Margaret F. Gregor and Gokhan S. Hotamisligil review current knowledge about how a maze-like cellular compartment called the endoplasmic reticulum works in fat cells and is modified in obesity.
Researchers have made synthetic lipids called pseudoceramides that are involved in skin cell growth and could be used in treating skin diseases in which skin cells grow abnormally.
Scientists have discovered that a lipid known to protect the heart from inflammation and to cause skin allergic reactions also reduces inflammation of the kidneys. The discovery could help devise new ways of treating inflammatory kidney diseases.
Scientists report that when people with a transplanted kidney take fluvastatin, a drug against cardiovascular disease, their response to the drug is not influenced by their genetic composition.
Scientists have provided the first large-scale study of proteins inside human cells called Jurkat T cells. The study could lead to a better understanding of how proteins inside a specific type of cell work together and may pave the way for future detailed studies of how proteins work in other types of cells.
Researchers have provided new information about how communication among neurons may be prevented from deteriorating in conditions such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The new results may lead to new therapies for the treatment of not only AD but also motor neuron diseases and prion diseases.
Researchers report the most complete list so far of proteins present in the human amniotic fluid, the liquid that surrounds a fetus during pregnancy. The new information may be used to develop new or improved markers of pregnancy-associated pathological conditions.
Scientists have shown that recently developed mouse breeds that mimic the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease may not be as effective as previously assumed. The scientists show in the August 24 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry that in some mouse breeds, drugs that had been shown to reduce levels of a toxic protein called amyloid beta had only minor or no effect on these mice.
Scientists have provided new insight into how a gene is related to schizophrenia. In a study to be published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, the scientists describe for the first time a genetic variation that causes a gene to be overexpressed in the human brain. These results may provide a new way to design better drugs to treat schizophrenia.
The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology has announced the recipients of its annual awards competition. Eight scientists and one politician were singled out for their outstanding achievements and contributions to science. The awards will officially be presented at the Experimental Biology 2008 meeting, April 5-9, in San Diego, Calif.
Scientists have discovered a new enzyme involved in the degradation of proteins inside cells, a process that helps eliminate or recycle proteins that are no longer needed. The new enzyme is very highly expressed in the testis, which could provide a new understanding of male fertility.
Scientists have provided new evidence that using more fish oil than vegetable oil in the diet decreases the formation of chemicals called prostanoids, which, when produced in excess, increase inflammation in various tissues and organs. The results may help in designing new anti-inflammatory drugs with fewer side effects than the ones currently available.
Scientists have shown for the first time that a protein involved in the transfer of fat in the blood may also influence how fat cells store fat.
Story ideas from the June 2007 issue of Molecular & Cellular Proteomics include the first large-scale identification of the proteins involved in coronary heart disease, ways to improve colorectal and esophageal cancer treatments, and a new and easy way to look at how proteins interact with one another.
Scientists have provided new details about how proteins used to destroy bacteria and viruses may help treat Alzheimer's disease. Gunnar K. Gouras and colleagues provide new insights into how these proteins, called antibodies, reduce the main hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease and raise hopes for a vaccine against the disease.