SciBX: Science-Business eXchange Contents: May 3 2012, Volume 5 / Issue 18

TABLE OF CONTENTS May 3 2012, Volume 5 / Issue 18 Analysis Cover Story Translational Notes Targets and Mechanisms Tools The Distillery: Therapeutics Autoimmune disease Cancer Endocrine/metabolic disease Hematology Neurology Ophthalmic disease Pulmonary disease The Distillery: Techniques Assays and screens Disease models Drug delivery Drug platforms Imaging SciBX: Science-Business eXchange Recommend SciBX to your library today SciBx is a weekly publication that identifies and analyzes the most important translational research articles from over 40 journals. Find out which papers have real scientific and commercial potential, and why. Subscribe to SciBX and you won't miss the next big thing. For more information visit: www.nature.com/scibx.   Trade Secrets A Nature Network blog by BIOENTREPRENEUR Brought to you by Nature Biotechnology Access the insights, advice and commentary from scientists and entrepreneurs building biotech sectors around the world. Join the global dialogue on life science entrepreneurship: http://blogs.nature.com/trade_secrets   Analysis Cover Story Top Heart beats fat Lev Osherovich doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.455 UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have discovered that knocking down microRNA-208a in the heart leads to systemic benefits in obesity and metabolic diseases. The findings could expand the potential indications for miRagen's antimiR-208, which is in preclinical development for cardiac hypertrophy. Full Text | PDF Translational Notes Top Building bridges Tracey Baas doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.456 Johnson & Johnson has joined the ranks of funders supporting the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences Bridging-the-Gap Awards by providing two grants for research on an implantable pancreas for type 1 diabetes patients and on orally bioavailable macrocycles that inhibit protein-protein interactions. Full Text | PDF Targets and Mechanisms Top Heat shock hits muscular dystrophy Tim Fulmer doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.457 Australian academics have used N-Gene's BGP-15, a small molecule inducer of Hsp72, to increase muscle strength and survival in mice with muscular dystrophy. The biotech, which is testing the compound in Phase IIb for diabetes, now hopes to find a partner for the new indication. Full Text | PDF Tools Top Evolution not revolution Lev Osherovich doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.458 An international team has engineered enzymes capable of replicating nucleic acid polymers that are made of unnatural nucleotides. Despite general media reports, the technology is not likely to lead to artificial life any time soon. Instead, the utility is in generating new types of aptamers. Full Text | PDF Distillery: Therapeutics Autoimmune disease Top Filamin A (FLNA); core-binding factor β-subunit (CBFB; CBFβ) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.459 In vitro and mouse studies suggest the small molecule kartogenin could help treat osteoarthritis. Full Text | PDF Cancer Top FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3; CD135) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.460 Patient sample studies identified resistance-causing mutations in FLT3 that could be targeted to treat AML. Full Text | PDF Mitochondria; glycolysis doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.461 Studies in cell culture suggest combining mitochondrial antioxidants and glycolysis inhibitors could help treat breast cancer. Full Text | PDF Phosphoinositide 3-kinase-β (PI3Kβ); PTEN (MMAC1; TEP1) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.462 Cell culture and mouse studies suggest targeting PI3Kβ could help treat patients with PTEN-null tumors. Full Text | PDF Phosphoserine aminotransferase 1 (PSAT1) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.463 Studies in cell culture suggest inhibiting PSAT1 could help treat cancer. Full Text | PDF Purinergic receptor P2X ligand-gated ion channel 7 (P2RX7; P2X7) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.464 Mouse studies suggest inhibiting P2X7 could help treat cancer. Full Text | PDF Receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.465 In vitro and mouse studies suggest antibodies against RAGE could help prevent cancer metastasis to the lungs. Full Text | PDF VEGF; BRAF doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.466 Studies in mice suggest combined use of metformin and VEGF inhibitors could help treat melanoma. Full Text | PDF Endocrine/metabolic disease Top AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.467 In vitro and mouse studies suggest the aspirin metabolite salicylate activates AMPK to improve serum lipid levels and treat metabolic disease. Full Text | PDF Not applicable doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.468 Studies in mice suggest depleting invariant NK T (iNKT) cells could help treat metabolic disorders. Full Text | PDF MicroRNA-208a (miR-208a) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.469 Studies in mice suggest antagonizing miR-208a could help treat metabolic syndrome and obesity. Full Text | PDF Hematology Top Hepcidin antimicrobial peptide (HAMP); transmembrane protease serine 6 (TMPRSS6; matriptase-2) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.470 Mouse studies suggest inhibiting TMPRSS6 could help treat β-thalassemia. Full Text | PDF Neurology Top β-Site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1); cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.471 Two separate studies identified BACE1 inhibitors that could help treat AD. Full Text | PDF Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3B) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.472 Cell culture studies identified pyrazine-based inhibitors of GSK3B that could help treat neurodegenerative diseases such as AD. Full Text | PDF Ophthalmic disease Top Not applicable doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.473 Mouse studies suggest transplantation of rod photoreceptor cells could restore vision after retinal degeneration. Full Text | PDF Pulmonary disease Top Not applicable doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.474 Mouse studies suggest bone marrow–derived stromal cells (BMSCs) may help treat acute lung injury by restoring alveolar bioenergetics. Full Text | PDF Distillery: Techniques Assays and screens Top Microarray of modified RNAs to identify therapeutic RNAs against folded RNA targets doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.475 A microarray displaying a library of modified RNAs could help identify therapeutics against folded RNA targets. Full Text | PDF Disease models Top Mice with humanized ectopic bone engraftments to test leukemia therapeutics doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.476 Mice with humanized ectopic bone engraftments could help identify new leukemia therapeutics. Full Text | PDF Drug delivery Top Targeted delivery of small interfering RNA using single-chain variable antibody fragments (scFvs) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.477 Studies in mice suggest scFv-mediated delivery of siRNA could help treat cancer. Full Text | PDF Drug platforms Top Enzyme toolkit for replication of unnatural nucleic acids doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.478 In vitro studies suggest engineered polymerases could enable screening for new, unnatural nucleic acid aptamers. Full Text | PDF High throughput synthesis of transcription activator–like effector nucleases (TALENs) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.479 A high throughput TALEN synthesis system could enable rapid, large-scale modification of regions of the genome. Full Text | PDF In vivo reprogramming of cardiac fibroblasts into cardiomyocytes doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.480 In vivo conversion of cardiac fibroblasts into cardiomyocytes could help treat heart damage. Full Text | PDF Structural and biochemical insights into human bromodomain-containing proteins for epigenetic drug discovery doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.481 Structural and biochemical insights into bromodomains may help guide the development of drugs that target the protein family. Full Text | PDF Imaging Top Radiolabeled anti–prostate-specific antigen (KLK3; PSA) antibody for prostate cancer diagnostics doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.482 A radiolabeled anti-PSA antibody could help image bone metastases and determine response to prostate cancer therapy. Full Text | PDF You have been sent this Table of Contents Alert because you have opted in to receive it. 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