Thursday, October 31, 2013

SciBX: Science-Business eXchange Contents: October 31 2013, Volume 6 / Issue 42

SciBX: Science-Business eXchange


TABLE OF CONTENTS

October 31 2013, Volume 6 / Issue 42

Analysis

Cover Story
Targets and Mechanisms

The Distillery: Therapeutics

Cancer
Cardiovascular disease
Dermatology
Infectious disease
Inflammation
Musculoskeletal disease
Neurology
Various

The Distillery: Techniques

Disease models
Drug delivery
Drug platforms
Imaging
Markers
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Analysis

Cover Story

Top

Building meditope-enabled mAbs
Kai-Jye Lou
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1178
Researchers at the Beckman Research Institute at City of Hope have provided proof of concept for adapting the functionality of mAbs by modifying them with engineered peptides called meditopes. The institute founded Meditope Biosciences to commercialize the technology.
Full Text | PDF

Targets and Mechanisms

Top

KCC2 escape from neuropathic pain
Benjamin Boettner
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1179
Researchers from Laval University have described an activator of the co-transporter KCC2 and shown its analgesic effect in mice. The group is developing next-generation compounds with better pharmacological properties.
Full Text | PDF

Benztropine for MS
Lauren Martz
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1180
Although candidate compounds to treat secondary progressive multiple sclerosis abound, few lead to neuronal remyelination. A new study has suggested that an existing Parkinson's disease drug—benztropine—or a derivative could accomplish the task.
Full Text | PDF

Personal factors
Chris Cain
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1181
A multi-institute team collaborating with the FDA has determined why patients with a form of severe hemophilia rarely develop neutralizing antibodies against factor VIII replacement therapy. The group is developing an algorithm to predict the likelihood of antibody development against other recombinant protein–based therapies.
Full Text | PDF

Distillery: Therapeutics

Cancer

Top

Colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R; C-FMS; CD115)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1182
Mouse studies suggest the brain-penetrant CSF1R inhibitor BLZ945 could be used to treat glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).
Full Text | PDF

CD3; folate receptor
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1183
In vitro and mouse studies suggest an anti-CD3 antibody conjugated to folic acid could help treat cancer.
Full Text | PDF

Ribonucleotide reductase M2 (RRM2; R2)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1184
Cell culture and mouse studies identified RRM2 inhibitors that could help treat drug-resistant cancers.
Full Text | PDF

Tubulin
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1185
In vitro and mouse studies suggest azaindole-based tubulin inhibitors could help treat cancer.
Full Text | PDF

Carbonic anhydrase XII (CAXII)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1186
Cell culture and mouse studies identified an anti-CAXII mAb that could help treat cancer.
Full Text | PDF

Second chromosome locus associated with prostate-1 (SChLAP1; LINC00913)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1187
Cell culture and mouse studies suggest inhibiting the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) SChLAP1 could help treat prostate cancer.
Full Text | PDF

Unknown
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1188
Computational, cell culture and mouse studies identified marketed drugs that could be repurposed to treat SCLC.
Full Text | PDF

Cardiovascular disease

Top

Apolipoprotein D (APOD)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1189
Mouse studies suggest APOD could help treat CAD and MI.
Full Text | PDF

Dermatology

Top

Myocardin-related transcription factor A (MKL1; MAL; MRTF-A)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1190
Mouse studies suggest MRTF-A activation could help treat dermal wounds.
Full Text | PDF

Infectious disease

Top

CD4
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1191
In vitro studies suggest addition of an N-linked glycan to the anti-CD4 mAb ibalizumab could help improve its ability to neutralize HIV-1 strains that are resistant to the antibody.
Full Text | PDF

Plasmodium falciparum dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (PfDHODH)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1192
Mouse and in vitro studies identified dihydrothiophenone-derived inhibitors of PfDHODH that could be useful for treating malaria.
Full Text | PDF

Calcium channel voltage-dependent α2/δ subunit 2 (CACNA2D2)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1193
In vitro and mouse studies suggest voltage-gated calcium channel inhibitors could help treat or prevent New World hemorrhagic fever triggered by arenaviruses.
Full Text | PDF

Inflammation

Top

Not applicable
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1194
In vitro and rat studies identified nitroxyl (HNO)-donating aspirin derivatives that could help treat inflammation.
Full Text | PDF

Musculoskeletal disease

Top

Adenylate cyclase-stimulating Gα protein (GNAS); glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 zinc finger protein (GLI1)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1195
In vitro and mouse studies suggest hedgehog pathway inhibitors could help treat heterotopic ossification caused by loss-of-function GNAS mutations.
Full Text | PDF

Neurology

Top

Microtubule-associated protein-τ (MAPT; TAU; FTDP-17)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1196
Cell culture and mouse studies identified anti-TAU mAbs that could be useful for treating AD.
Full Text | PDF

Endonuclease G (ENDOG)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1197
In vitro and in vivo studies suggest inhibiting ENDOG could help treat PD.
Full Text | PDF

Various

Top

Hemopexin (HPX); toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1198
Mouse studies suggest TLR4 blockade or recombinant HPX could help prevent SCD-associated acute chest syndrome.
Full Text | PDF

Distillery: Techniques

Disease models

Top

Additional sex combs like 1 (Asxl1)-mutant mouse model of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1199
Mice transplanted with bone marrow expressing a mutant form of Asxl1 could model MDS and be used to identify and evaluate new treatments for the condition.
Full Text | PDF

Methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MECP2; RTT)-deficient neurons derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1200
MECP2-deficient neurons derived from hESCs could be useful for studying Rett syndrome and screening for therapeutics to treat the disease.
Full Text | PDF

Transgenic mouse model of early α-synuclein (SNCA) overexpression in Parkinson's disease (PD)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1201
An SNCA-overexpressing transgenic mouse PD model could help define early defects in dopaminergic neurons and help evaluate candidate therapeutic strategies.
Full Text | PDF

Drug delivery

Top

DNA nanostructures for targeted drug delivery
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1202
Nanostructures generated via unconventional assembly of DNA could enable targeted drug delivery or be used as imaging agents.
Full Text | PDF

Drug platforms

Top

Functionalizing mAbs with a noncovalent peptide-binding site
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1203
A peptide-binding site found on Erbitux cetuximab could be used to functionalize mAbs without disrupting their native antigen-binding properties.
Full Text | PDF

Image-based high-content screening platform to survey large compound libraries
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1204
A platform combining chemical screening with automated image acquisition and analysis could enable the identification of compounds that inhibit disease-associated signal transduction pathways.
Full Text | PDF

Intramyocardial injection of synthetic modified RNA (modRNA) encoding VEGF-A to expand and direct differentiation of cardiac progenitor cells
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1205
Mouse studies suggest pulse-like expression of VEGF-A from modRNA could help regenerate cardiac tissue.
Full Text | PDF

Reprogramming in vivo to generate totipotent induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1206
In vivo reprogramming in mice could be used to generate highly plastic iPS cells that can efficiently contribute to extraembryonic tissue such as placenta.
Full Text | PDF

Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) or TLR3 adjuvants to promote cancer vaccine–induced effector T cell expansion
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1207
Mouse studies suggest TLR9 or TLR3 ligands can enhance cancer vaccine–induced effector T cell expansion.
Full Text | PDF

Imaging

Top

Copper complex–based imaging agents to diagnose Alzheimer's disease (AD)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1208
Studies in mice and human samples suggest copper complex–based imaging agents could help diagnose AD.
Full Text | PDF

Markers

Top

Gene expression signature to predict outcome in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)
doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.1209
Studies in patient samples identified a gene expression signature that could help predict outcomes in patients with IPF.
Full Text | PDF

Top
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