SciBX: Science-Business eXchange Contents: October 11 2012, Volume 5 / Issue 40

TABLE OF CONTENTS October 11 2012, Volume 5 / Issue 40 Analysis Cover Story Translational Notes Targets and Mechanisms The Distillery: Therapeutics Cancer Cardiovascular disease Endocrine/metabolic disease Hematology Infectious disease Musculoskeletal disease Neurology The Distillery: Techniques Assays and screens Chemistry Disease models Drug delivery Drug platforms Imaging Markers New Partnering Opportunities in Alzheimer's Disease! A comprehensive interactive dashboard from Relay Technology Management.  Click here for more information on Alzheimer's partnering opportunities.   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 Ember: warming up to brown fat Michael J. Haas doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1045 Boston-area researchers have shown that inhibiting a cation channel dubbed TRPV4 induced white fat cells to behave like brown fat, thereby protecting mice from diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance. Ember Therapeutics has options to in-license the findings as a part of a trio of new deals for brown fat–related targets. Full Text | PDF Translational Notes Top Leukemia team building Chris Cain doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1046 The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has announced its first research partnership with a large biopharma company—a four-year, multimillion-dollar deal with Celgene to solicit and fund proposals from academics and smaller biotechs. The not-for-profit organization expects the deal's framework to serve as a template for future collaborations and is in talks with additional big biotech and pharma companies. Full Text | PDF Targets and Mechanisms Top Closing time for HCV protease Kai-Jye Lou doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1047 Astex has used its fragment-based drug discovery platform to identify a new allosteric binding site on the full-length HCV NS3/4A protein and thinks compounds that bind the site can inhibit the protein's helicase activity in addition to its proteolytic activity. The result could be molecules with better efficacy than existing HCV drugs that target the protease active site. Full Text | PDF Repurposing naratriptan Lauren Martz doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1048 Japanese researchers have shown in mice that GlaxoSmithKline's marketed migraine drug Amerge naratriptan could be repurposed to treat spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy. Although the pharma is not saying if it will pursue the new indication for the serotonin (5-HT1D) receptor agonist, the research group is already planning an investigator-led Phase II trial. Full Text | PDF Distillery: Therapeutics Cancer Top Pyruvate kinase M2 isozyme (PKM2) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1049 Cell culture and mouse studies suggest PKM2 activators could help treat cancer. Full Text | PDF Cardiovascular disease Top Anoctamin 6 (ANO6; TMEM16F) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1050 Mouse and cell culture studies suggest inhibiting TMEM16F could help prevent thrombosis. Full Text | PDF Endocrine/metabolic disease Top α1-Antitrypsin (AAT; A1AT; SERPINA1); histone deacetylase 7 (HDAC7) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1051 In vitro studies suggest suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) could help treat AAT deficiency. Full Text | PDF Transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4; VRL2) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1052 A study in cell culture and in mice suggests antagonizing TRPV4 could help treat obesity and type 2 diabetes. Full Text | PDF Hematology Top Factor IX; factor Xa doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1053 In vitro and monkey studies identified a bifunctional antibody targeting factor IX and factor Xa that could help treat hemophilia A. Full Text | PDF Infectious disease Top GTP pyrophosphokinase (relA) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1054 In vitro studies identified an inhibitor of relA that could help treat Gram-positive bacterial infections. Full Text | PDF HCV NS3/4A protein complex doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1055 Fragment-based screening using crystals of the HCV NS3/4A holoenzyme identified inhibitors of an allosteric site that could help treat HCV infection. Full Text | PDF Musculoskeletal disease Top Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1056 In vitro and mouse studies suggest reducing CGRP expression could help treat spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). Full Text | PDF Neurology Top β-Site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1); β-amyloid 40 doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1057 Rodent studies suggest fused bicyclic iminopyrimidinone-based BACE1 inhibitors could help treat neurodegenerative diseases such as AD. Full Text | PDF Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1058 Drosophila and mouse studies suggest EGFR inhibitors could help treat AD. Full Text | PDF Superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1059 Mouse and worm studies suggest a new class of carbazoles could help treat ALS and PD. Full Text | PDF Not applicable doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1060 Rat studies suggest ceria nanoparticles could help treat stroke. Full Text | PDF Distillery: Techniques Assays and screens Top NMR of hyperpolarized fluorine to characterize ligand-protein interactions doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1061 Hyperpolarized fluorine could improve the sensitivity of fluorine-based NMR for characterizing ligand-protein interactions. Full Text | PDF Chemistry Top Vascular catheters modified with polysulfobetaine to prevent thrombus formation and microbial attachment doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1062 Polysulfobetaine surface modification of vascular catheters could help prevent catheter-associated thrombosis and infection. Full Text | PDF Disease models Top Mice with mesodermal inactivation of Pten (Mmac1; Tep1) as models for alveolar capillary dysplasia (ACD) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1063 Mice with mesodermal inactivation of Pten could help identify new treatments for ACD, a congenitally lethal condition characterized by disordered pulmonary vascular development. Full Text | PDF Drug delivery Top β-Galactosidase–responsive prodrugs of chemotherapeutics targeted to cancer surface receptors doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1064 In vitro and mouse studies suggest tumor-penetrating, β-galactosidase–responsive prodrugs could help treat cancers. Full Text | PDF Drug platforms Top Cell or tissue transplantation to restore organ functions doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1065 Mouse studies suggest transplantation of cells into lymph nodes could rescue organ function. Full Text | PDF Imaging Top Functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes as contrast agents for ultrasound imaging doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1066 Functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes could be used as contrast agents to enhance ultrasound imaging. Full Text | PDF Markers Top Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1; CD331), FGFR2 and fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) amplification may help predict sensitivity to FGFR inhibitors in cancer doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1067 FGFR1, FGFR2 and FGF19 amplification may help predict sensitivity to FGFR inhibitors. In breast, lung and osteosarcoma cell lines and primary human osteosarcoma samples, FGFR1 amplification was associated with sensitivity to the pan-FGFR inhibitor NVP-BGJ398. Full Text | PDF Fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4; CD334) SNP as a response marker for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1068 A SNP in FGFR4 could be used as a marker to predict pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor progression and response to mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR; FRAP; RAFT1) inhibitors. Full Text | PDF Mutations in v-ski sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (SKI) as the cause of Shprintzen-Goldberg syndrome (SGS) with aortic aneurysm doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1069 Genetic studies suggest mutations in SKI cause SGS with aortic aneurysm, a connective tissue disorder with unknown etiology. Full Text | PDF RNA profiling to determine prognosis in multiple sclerosis (MS) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.1070 Studies of patient samples identified a transcriptional signature that could help determine MS prognosis. Full Text | PDF You have been sent this Table of Contents Alert because you have opted in to receive it. 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