Thursday, February 14, 2013

SciBX: Science-Business eXchange Contents: February 14 2013, Volume 6 / Issue 6

SciBX: Science-Business eXchange

TABLE OF CONTENTS

February 14 2013, Volume 6 / Issue 6

Analysis

Cover Story
Targets and Mechanisms
Tools

The Distillery: Therapeutics

Cancer
Endocrine/metabolic disease
Genitourinary disease
Inflammation
Neurology

The Distillery: Techniques

Assays and screens
Chemistry
Computational models
Disease models
Drug delivery
Markers
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Analysis

Cover Story

Top

Cancer target selection pressure
Joanne Kotz
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.128
An Institute of Cancer Research team has developed a computational algorithm that hones in on cancer targets with the desired mix of biological validation and druggability. The approach could help prioritize targets.
Full Text | PDF

Targets and Mechanisms

Top

Statins for fragile X
Lev Osherovich
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.129
MIT researchers have shown that the widely used cholesterol drug lovastatin can correct fragile X syndrome in mice. The findings add to a growing list of unconventional strategies for this common form of mental retardation.
Full Text | PDF

Stressing out over depression and anxiety
Tim Fulmer
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.130
Two teams have shown that enhanced glucocorticoid signaling in the brain triggers aberrant behavior in mouse models of depression and anxiety. The groups are now studying the mechanisms underlying the effect to determine whether blocking glucocorticoid signaling could treat neuropsychiatric diseases.
Full Text | PDF

Tools

Top

Tethered capsule endomicroscopy
Tracey Baas
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.131
Massachusetts General Hospital researchers have created a tethered, capsule-size endoscope that can generate 3D microstructural images of the upper GI tract. The team used the device to image Barrett's esophagus in patients and has licensed the technology to NinePoint Medical.
Full Text | PDF

Distillery: Therapeutics

Cancer

Top

MicroRNA-374a (miR-374a)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.132
Patient sample and mouse studies suggest inhibiting miR-374a could help prevent or treat breast cancer metastasis.
Full Text | PDF

BCL2-associated X protein (BAX); BCL2-antagonist/killer 1 (BAK1; BAK); B cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2; BCL2); BCL3 homology domain 3 (BH3)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.133
Structural studies have identified regions of BAX and BAK that could guide the development of a new class of BH3-mimetic drugs that directly trigger apoptosis and help treat cancer.
Full Text | PDF

Prominin 1 (PROM1; CD133)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.134
Mouse studies suggest oncolytic measles viruses engineered to target CD133 could help treat cancer.
Full Text | PDF

Ras homolog gene family member A (RHOA); leukemia-associated Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor (LARG)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.135
In vitro studies identified a small molecule inhibitor of the interaction between LARG and RHOA that could help treat cancers.
Full Text | PDF

BRAF
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.136
A study in mice suggests intermittent rather than continuous dosing of Zelboraf could prevent or delay drug resistance in patients with melanoma.
Full Text | PDF

Angiotensinogen (AGT); angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.137
Patient tissue and mouse studies suggest ACE inhibitors could help treat NSCLC in patients with angiotensin II–overexpressing tumors.
Full Text | PDF

Serine/threonine kinase 11 (STK11; LKB1); K-Ras
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.138
Mouse and cell culture studies suggest the metformin analog phenformin could help treat K-Ras‒driven NSCLCs with LKB1 mutations.
Full Text | PDF

Endocrine/metabolic disease

Top

Unknown
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.139
Cell culture and mouse studies suggest a diarylurea-based compound could help regenerate β cell mass and treat type 1 diabetes.
Full Text | PDF

Genitourinary disease

Top

Gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.140
In vitro and rat studies suggest GRP antagonists could help treat BPH.
Full Text | PDF

Inflammation

Top

Adrenergic receptor α2 (ADRA2)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.141
Rat studies suggest ADRA2 agonists could help reduce fevers.
Full Text | PDF

Elastase
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.142
In vitro studies identified elastase inhibitors that could help treat inflammation.
Full Text | PDF

Neurology

Top

Dopamine signaling
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.143
Mouse studies suggest blocking neurotransmission of dopamine-sensing neurons could help treat neuropsychiatric disorders triggered by chronic stress.
Full Text | PDF

Glucocorticoid receptor (GCCR); disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.144
Mouse studies suggest blocking the glucocorticoid receptor in the brain could help treat adult-onset neuropsychiatric disorders triggered by adolescent stress.
Full Text | PDF

Ras; MAP kinase 3 (MAPK3; ERK-1); MAPK1 (ERK-2)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.145
Studies in mice suggest lovastatin could help treat epilepsy in patients with fragile X syndrome.
Full Text | PDF

Distillery: Techniques

Assays and screens

Top

High throughput small hairpin RNA–based genetic interaction mapping in human cells
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.146
A high throughput method to analyze genetic interactions in human cells could help identify new disease pathways and targets.
Full Text | PDF

Protein translocation through an α-hemolysin–caseinolytic peptidase X homolog (ClpX) nanopore system
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.147
A method to translocate proteins through α-hemolysin nanopores could eventually enable nanopore-based protein sequencing.
Full Text | PDF

Sensitizing bacteria to antibiotics by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.148
In silico prediction and in vitro screening could help identify targets that increase bacterial ROS production and improve the efficacy of marketed antibiotics.
Full Text | PDF

Chemistry

Top

Antiamyloid compounds that inhibit biofilm formation
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.149
In vitro studies suggest compounds that disrupt amyloid fibers could be useful for preventing biofilm formation.
Full Text | PDF

Computational models

Top

Computational approach for prioritizing potential cancer targets
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.150
A computational approach that predicts the druggability of cancer-associated proteins could help prioritize targets in small molecule discovery programs.
Full Text | PDF

Disease models

Top

Patient induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell–derived cardiomyocytes as models for right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.151
Cardiomyocytes generated from patient-derived iPS cells could help identify new treatments for right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy.
Full Text | PDF

Drug delivery

Top

Adjuvant and antigen co-delivery with nickel-chelating lipid nanoparticles
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.152
Nickel-chelating lipid nanoparticles that co-deliver antigens and adjuvants could be useful for vaccine delivery.
Full Text | PDF

Dissolving microneedle arrays for delivery of live adenovirus vaccines
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.153
A dissolvable microneedle array could be used for transdermal delivery of adenovirus vaccines.
Full Text | PDF

Markers

Top

Highly prevalent telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter mutations in melanoma
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.154
Two independent studies identified highly prevalent mutations upstream of TERT that could help guide the development of new treatments for melanoma.
Full Text | PDF

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