Category Archives: Cell Biology

Cell Biology

People in Action Jan. 22, 2020 – SUNY Oswego

Alok Kumar, distinguished teaching professor of physics, had a new version of his book, "Ancient Hindu Science: Its Transmission and Impact on World Cultures," published by Jaico Books, Mumbai, India. The new publication is a lower-priced edition of a book of the same title originally published in March 2019 (pictured) by U.S. publishers Morgan and Claypool. The publication seeks to condense Kumars exhaustive and long-running research by focusing on the important impacts and contributions -- such as innovations in cataract and cosmetic surgeries -- ancient Hindu scientists contributed to Western medicine, science and mathematics.

Human development faculty member Rebecca Burch published More than just a pretty face: The overlooked contributions of women in evolutionary psychology books in the journal Evolutionary Behavorial Sciences. The article argues that the majority of evolutionary psychology textbooks tend to discuss female attractiveness in detail, omit female intelligence and resourcefulness, overemphasize the role of men in feeding families and neglect older women. Burch also explores the female skills and strategies that play a large role in the survival of the species, and should be discussed in introductory textbooks.

Biology majors Sara Fuller, Gigi Niu, Ali Khan and Michelle Urman presented the research they conducted with biological sciences faculty member Yulia Artemenko at the American Society for Cell Biology and European Molecular Biology Organization Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.,in December. The students' poster presentation topics ranged from understanding the interplay between known regulators of cell adhesion to the substrate (Niu) and finding novel players in regulation of adhesion (Khan) to figuring out how changes in cell adhesion affect the ability of cells to respond to mechanical stimuli (Fuller and Urman).

Lawrence Spizman, professor emeritus of economics, and John Kane, professor of economics, presented a paper titled The Impact of Race on a Childs Educational Attainment and Life-Time Earnings at the Allied Social Science Annual Meeting, Jan. 4 in San Diego. Recent federal and state legislation has addressed the topic of economic damages in personal injury or wrongful death litigation being reduced by race or gender discrimination. This paper examines the impact of such legislation on damage awards to a minor child. This is accomplished by comparing the results of the updated ordered probit model which includes race, to the ordered probit without race. The paper demonstrates that recent legislation requiring race neutral data may have unintended consequences that will harm the very groups that the legislation is intended to help.

Ampalavanar Nanthakumar, professor of mathematics, had the article "A Comparison of Archimedean Copula Models for approximating bivariate Skew-Normal Distribution" accepted for January 2020 publication in International Journal of Statistics and Probability.

Tyrone Johnson-Neuland had his work, Africa Mixed Media and Piano Rhapsody Mix, selected into the second annual national juried exhibition titled Mixed Media, at the Arts Center Gallery at Nazareth College. The call received over 180 submitted works in a vast array of styles and mediums, with only 52 works by 31 artists selected to exhibit. The exhibition opens on Friday, Jan. 24, with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. The exhibition concludes on Sunday, March 1.

Shashi Kanbur gave a seminar titled Recent Advances in Stellar Pulsation Theory at the Inter-University Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) on Jan. 15. IUCAA is one of the leading astrophysics research centers in the world. Kanburs visit to IUCAA was planned for Jan 2 to 20 as part of his Indo-US Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum grant.

Damian Schofield delivered the opening keynote address at the OzCHI (Australian conference on computer human interaction), in Perth, Western Australia. The keynote, titled "Who am I? How visual media affects our sense of self,"introduced research undertaken by Schofield over the past 20 years that has experimented with, and examined a range of, visually based presentation technology -- particularly in courtroom and educational environments.

Jaclyn Schildkraut of the criminal justice faculty had the first study from her work with The Syracuse City School District, titled Locks, Lights, Out of Sight: Assessing Students Perceptions of Emergency Preparedness across Multiple Lockdown Drills,published in the Journal of School Violence. This is the culmination of a year's worth of work really working to understand the nuances of lockdown drills and the impact they have on members of the school community, Schildkraut noted. It is also the first study of its kind in 12 years and only the second one published that looks at how students are impacted by drills.

Jason Zenor of the communication studies faculty presented two papers at the National Communication Association Conference. 1) Zenor and Brian Moritz, also of the communication studies faculty, co-authored a paper titled "Damaged Goods? How Fans Tackle Knocks on the NFL and Fantasy Football," which they presented to the Communication and Sport Division. Zenor also presented a paper, "From Blurred Lines to Slants: Applying Free Speech Theory to IP Law," to the Freedom of Expression Division. The paper won the Robert M. O'Neill Award for top paper in the division. The paper also will be a chapter in a forthcoming book on free speech theory by Helen Knowles of the political science faculty.

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People in Action Jan. 22, 2020 - SUNY Oswego

Cell Biology

Biomedical Applications of Zeolitic Nanoparticles, with an Emphasis on | IJN – Dove Medical Press

Hossein Derakhshankhah, 1, 2,* Samira Jafari, 1, 2,* Sajad Sarvari, 3 Ebrahim Barzegari, 4 Faezeh Moakedi, 5 Milad Ghorbani, 6 Behrang Shiri Varnamkhasti, 1 Mehdi Jaymand, 7 Zhila Izadi, 1, 8 Lobat Tayebi 9

1Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran; 2Zistmavad Pharmed Co., Tehran, Iran; 3Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Science, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA; 4Medical Biology Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran; 5Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA; 6Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran; 7Nano Drug Delivery Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran; 8Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran; 9Marquette University School of Dentistry, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Zhila Izadi; Lobat Tayebi Email izadi_zh@razi.tums.ac.ir; lobat.tayebi@marquette.edu

Abstract: The advent of porous materials, in particular zeolitic nanoparticles, has opened up unprecedented putative research avenues in nanomedicine. Zeolites with intracrystal mesopores are low framework density aluminosilicates possessing a regular porous structure along with intricate channels. Their unique physiochemical as well as physiological parameters necessitate a comprehensive overview on their classifications, fabrication platforms, cellular/macromolecular interactions, and eventually their prospective biomedical applications through illustrating the challenges and opportunities in different integrative medical and pharmaceutical fields. More particularly, an update on recent advances in zeolite-accommodated drug delivery and the prevalent challenges regarding these molecular sieves is to be presented. In conclusion, strategies to accelerate the translation of these porous materials from bench to bedside along with common overlooked physiological and pharmacological factors of zeolite nanoparticles are discussed and debated. Furthermore, for zeolite nanoparticles, it is a matter of crucial importance, in terms of biosafety and nanotoxicology, to appreciate the zeolite-bio interface once the zeolite nanoparticles are exposed to the bio-macromolecules in biological media. We specifically shed light on interactions of zeolite nanoparticles with fibrinogen and amyloid beta which had been comprehensively investigated in our recent reports. Given the significance of zeolite nanoparticles interactions with serum or interstitial proteins conferring them new biological identity, the preliminary approaches for deeper understanding of administration, distribution, metabolism and excretion of zeolite nanoparticles are elucidated.

Keywords: zeolite, mesoporous, nanostructure, biosafety, biomedical applications

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License.By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

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Biomedical Applications of Zeolitic Nanoparticles, with an Emphasis on | IJN - Dove Medical Press

Cell Biology

A Protein At the Center of Cell Division: Researchers Discover the Wonders TPX2 Can Do During Cell Division – Science Times

(Photo : Natanel Mansilla on Flickr)

Cell division is a relatively familiar concept for everyone since it is one of the recurring topics in biology -- mitosis and meiosis, and all.Cell division is importantfor the reproduction, and repair of the tissues and over-all growth of the organism. However, rapid cell division leads to the formation of tumors which, most of than not,leads to cancer. Recently, a team of researchers from Princeton University successfully recreated an important process in cell division in a test tube. This experiment helped them uncover the vital role of a protein that is elevated in over 25% of all cancers.

The findings, which arepublished in Nature Communications, describes a key step towards the recreation of the entire cell division machinery that can lead to new therapies with the primary goal of preventing the growth of cancer cells. Usually, when cells undergo division, themicrotubules (those spindle-shaped structures composed of thousand of filaments)attaches itself to the chromosomes then pulls each chromosome into each newly-forming cell. Each of these microtubules is assembled from tubulin molecules and because the chromosomes must assemble intro these microtubules at the right moment, an error in segregation can lead to cancer. To be able to complete this process correctly, another process called branching microtubule nucleation is necessary. The branching microtubule nucleation is crucial because it allows the cells to form a huge amount of microtubules enabling the capture of the chromosomes.

READ:Laser Can Detect Cancer Cells and Kill It

The crucial process of the branching microtubule nucleation is depending largely on several pieces of "molecular machinery". For instance, the gamma-tubulin ring complex is the one responsible for initiating the assembly of tubulin molecules into microtubules. Meanwhile, theaugmin complexis the one responsible for engaging the gamma-tubulin ring complex to the existing microtubules. The Targeting Protein for Xklp2 or TPX2 is also involved in this process, however, researchers identified that this is protein is elevated in over 25% in all forms of cancer.

The elevated TPX2 levels can lead to the abnormal assembly of microtubules in cells. Sabine Petry, an assistant professor of molecular biology, explains that to be able to better understand branching microtubule nucleation, the researchers had to do the process outside of the cell using putrified proteins. The researchers found out thatlike the augmin complex, TPX2 can bind microtubules and recruit gamma-tubulin ring complexto initiate the process of branching microtubule nucleation. They were also surprised to discover that TPX2 is also responsible for recruiting augmin to microtubules.

According to graduate student Raymundo Alfaro-Aco, the process of branching microtubule nucleation occurs most efficiently when the three molecular pieces are all present. "Surprisingly, TPX2 is at the heart of controlling this process even though it is a single protein." He said. In the published paper, Petry and her graduate student Matthew King further explains that TPX2 forms a liquid layer on the surface of existing microtubules to promote branching microtubule nucleation. These liquid layers will bead up into droplets containing tubulin. The team was also able to discover that TPX2 and tubulin can condense together to form droplets through a phase-separation mechanism (kind of similar to the mechanism that makes oil droplets form in water).

A new batch of microtubules can be formed from these droplets and can result in the formation of branched microtubule structures by condensing on the surface of the existing microtubules. King explains that the condensation of TPX2 and tubulin creates a reservoir of tubulin in a pre-existing microtubule. "It may be necessary to efficiently promote the process of branching microtubule nucleation." He said.

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A Protein At the Center of Cell Division: Researchers Discover the Wonders TPX2 Can Do During Cell Division - Science Times

Cell Biology

The biology of coffee, the world’s most popular drink – The Conversation AU

Youre reading this with a cup of coffee in your hand, arent you? Coffee is the most popular drink in the world. Americans drink more coffee than soda, juice and tea combined.

How popular is coffee? When news first broke that Prince Harry and Meghan were considering Canada as their new home, Canadian coffee giant Tim Hortons offered free coffee for life as an extra enticement.

Given coffees popularity, its surprising how much confusion surrounds how this hot, dark, nectar of the gods affects our biology.

The main biologically active ingredients in coffee are caffeine (a stimulant) and a suite of antioxidants. What do we know about how caffeine and antioxidants affect our bodies? The fundamentals are pretty simple, but the devil is in the details and the speculation around how coffee could either help or harm us runs a bit wild.

The stimulant properties of caffeine mean that you can count on a cup of coffee to wake you up. In fact, coffee, or at least the caffeine it contains, is the most commonly used psychoactive drug in the world. It seems to work as a stimulant, at least in part, by blocking adenosine, which promotes sleep, from binding to its receptor.

Caffeine and adenosine have similar ring structures. Caffeine acts as a molecular mimic, filling and blocking the adenosine receptor, preventing the bodys natural ability to be able a rest when its tired.

This blocking is also the reason why too much coffee can leave you feeling jittery or sleepless. You can only postpone fatigue for so long before the bodys regulatory systems begin to fail, leading to simple things like the jitters, but also more serious effects like anxiety or insomnia. Complications may be common; a possible link between coffee drinking and insomnia was identified more than 100 years ago.

Different people respond to caffeine differently. At least some of this variation is from having different forms of that adenosine receptor, the molecule that caffeine binds to and blocks. There are likely other sites of genetic variation as well.

There are individuals who dont process caffeine and to whom drinks like coffee could pose medical danger. Even away from those extremes, however, there is variation in how we respond to that cup of coffee. And, like much of biology, that variation is a function of environment, our past coffee consumption, genetics and, honestly, just random chance.

We may be interested in coffee because of the oh-so-joyous caffeine buzz, but that doesnt mean that caffeine is the most biologically interesting aspect of a good cup of coffee.

In one study using rats, caffeine triggered smooth muscle contraction, so it is possible that caffeine directly promotes bowel activity. Other studies, though, have shown that decaffeinated coffee can have as strong an effect on bowel activity as regular coffee, suggesting a more complex mechanism involving some of the other molecules in coffee.

What about the antioxidants in coffee and the buzz that surrounds them? Things actually start out pretty straightforward. Metabolic processes produce the energy necessary for life, but they also create waste, often in the form of oxidized molecules that can be harmful in themselves or in damaging other molecules.

Antioxidants are a broad group of molecules that can scrub up dangerous waste; all organisms produce antioxidants as part of their metabolic balance. It is unclear if supplementing our diet with additional antioxidants can augment these natural defences, but that hasnt stopped speculation.

Antioxidants have been linked to almost everything, including premature ejaculation.

Are any of the claims of positive effects substantiated? Surprisingly, the answer is again a resounding maybe.

Coffee wont cure cancer, but it may help to prevent it and possibly other diseases as well. Part of answering the question of coffees connection to cancer lies in asking another: what is cancer? At its simplest, cancer is uncontrolled cell growth, which is fundamentally about regulating when genes are, or are not, actively expressed.

My research group studies gene regulation and I can tell you that even a good cup of coffee, or boost of caffeine, wont cause genes that are turned off or on at the wrong time to suddenly start playing by the rules.

The antioxidants in coffee may actually have a cancer-fighting effect. Remember that antioxidants fight cellular damage. One type of damage that they may help reduce is mutations to DNA, and cancer is caused by mutations that lead to the misregulation of genes.

Studies have shown that consuming coffee fights cancer in rats. Other studies in humans have shown that coffee consumption is associated with lower rates of some cancers.

Interestingly, coffee consumption has also been linked to reduced rates of other diseases as well. Higher coffee consumption is linked to lower rates of Parkinsons disease and some other forms of dementia. Strikingly, at least one experimental study in mice and cell culture shows that protection is a function of a combination of caffeine and antioxidants in coffee.

Higher coffee consumption has also been linked to lower rates of Type 2 diabetes. Complexity, combined effects and variation between individuals seems to be the theme across all the diseases.

At the end of the day, where does all this leave us on the biology of coffee? Well, as I tell my students, its complicated. But as most reading this already know, coffee will definitely wake you up in the morning.

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The biology of coffee, the world's most popular drink - The Conversation AU

Cell Biology

Body Clock Biologists Find That Beauty Sleep Is Real Discovery May Unlock the Mysteries of Aging – SciTechDaily

Biologists from The University of Manchester have explained for the first time why having a good nights sleep really could prepare us for the rigors of the day ahead.

The study in mice and published in Nature Cell Biology, shows how the body clock mechanism boosts our ability to maintain our bodies when we are most active. And because we know the body clock is less precise as we age, the discovery, argues lead author Professor Karl Kadler, may one day help unlock some of the mysteries of aging.

The discovery throws fascinating light on the bodys extracellular matrix which provides structural and biochemical support to cells in the form of connective tissue such as bone, skin, tendon, and cartilage. Over half our body weight is matrix, and half of this is collagen and scientists have long understood it is fully formed by the time we reach the age of 17.

But now the researchers have discovered there are two types of fibrils the rope-like structures of collagen that are woven by the cells to form tissues.

Thicker fibrils measuring about 200 nanometers in diameter a million million times smaller than a pinhead are permanent and stay with us throughout our lives, unchanged from the age of 17.

Colorful video showing cross-sections of different collagen fibrils and the effect of the body clock on the fibrils.

But thinner fibrils measuring 50 nanometers, they find, are sacrificial, breaking as we subject the body to the rigors of the day but replenishing when we rest at night.

The collagen was observed by mass spectrometry and the mouse fibrils were observed using state of the art volumetric electron microscopy funded by the Wellcome Trust every 4 hours over 2 days.

When the body clock genes were knocked out in mice, the thin and thick fibrils were amalgamated randomly.

Collagen provides the body with structure and is our most abundant protein, ensuring the integrity, elasticity, and strength of the bodys connective tissue, said Professor Kadler.

Its intuitive to think our matrix should be worn down by wear and tear, but it isnt and now we know why: our body clock makes an element which is sacrificial and can be replenished, protecting the permanent parts of the matrix.

He added: So if you imagine the bricks in the walls of a room as the permanent part, the paint on the walls could be seen as the sacrificial part which needs to be replenished every so often. And just like you need to oil a car and keep its radiator topped up with water, these thin fibrils help maintain the bodys matrix.

Knowing this could have implications on understanding our biology at its most fundamental level. It might, for example, give us some deeper insight into how wounds heal, or how we age.

Reference: Circadian control of the secretory pathway maintains collagen homeostasis by Joan Chang, Richa Garva, Adam Pickard, Ching-Yan Chlo Yeung, Venkatesh Mallikarjun, Joe Swift, David F. Holmes, Ben Calverley, Yinhui Lu, Antony Adamson, Helena Raymond-Hayling, Oliver Jensen, Tom Shearer, Qing Jun Meng and Karl E. Kadler, 6 January 2020, Nature Cell Biology.DOI: 10.1038/s41556-019-0441-z

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Body Clock Biologists Find That Beauty Sleep Is Real Discovery May Unlock the Mysteries of Aging - SciTechDaily

Cell Biology

Dr. Garrett Wirth Giving hope to patients with personalized care and innovation – MENAFN.COM

(MENAFN - America News Hour) Globally, medical technology is progressing at a rapid pace and itcertainly comes as no surprise to see doctors offer people a new lease on life.Any life-threatening, daunting, or psychological problems patients may face,the healthcare professionals are trying their best to help people understand,accept, and tackle the situation. Dr. Garrett Wirth is one such doctor, who isgiving hope to trauma patients from all walks of life through his ability as a PlasticSurgeon.

Dr. Wirth, of Wirth Plastic Surgery in Newport Beach California is aBoard-Certified Plastic Surgeon who has performed over 20,000 procedures overthe illustrious course of his nearly 15 years of experience. With the help ofhis cosmetic and reconstructive skill set, he has given hope to patientsdiagnosed with cancer, burns, deformities, trauma, and much more. He strives tomake this transformation a positive experience by combining art and science.

Born in Albany, New York, Dr. Wirth completed his Bachelor's atMuhlenberg College in Allentown Pennsylvania with a Biology and a PoliticalScience minor. Towards the end of his time at Muhlenberg College, Dr. Wirth wasintrigued by the idea of pursuing high-quality research and chose to attendGraduate School at the Albany Medical College where he completed his Master'sDegree in Physiology and Cell Biology.

Armed with an impressive resume, he honed his skills further byjoining Doctor of Medicine program also at Albany Medical College where hepursued his MD degree. He started as a and then physician researching andplanning a career in Vascular Surgery before becoming acquainted with plasticsurgery.

Along with his successful training at the Albany Medical Center inGeneral Surgery, where he won the resident teaching award and was recognizedfor his leadership and teaching skills, Dr. Wirth also went on to furthertraining in Plastic Surgery at the University of California Irvine MedicalCenter. Upon completion of thistraining, he was asked, and accepted the honor to serve as a faculty member servingas a Professor of Plastic Surgery at the Aesthetic and Plastic SurgeryInstitute, University of California-Irvine Medical Center. There, he had thehonor of training and educating many healthcare professionals and students. Additionally,he has published his works in severalreputed national and international medical journals.

In 2017, Dr. Wirth established his private practice with the dream tooffer his expertise to 'one patient at a time'. At Wirth Plastic Surgery, hehelps people rediscover their confidence and achieve their aesthetic goals. Dr.Wirth firmly believes in working with his patients and truly understandingtheir needs - a philosophy that is implemented by his team as well. It is forthis reason that he is selective and works only with those patients with whomhe has a mutual understanding of the procedure and its outcome. 'It's about being a high quality team member with each person', says Dr. Wirth.

Through his private practice, his unique career path experience andhis patient-centric approach, he has become a pioneer in breast reconstruction,breast augmentation, and rhinoplasty. Dr. Wirth is committed to helping womenget through breast diseases and reconstruction by following a completelypatient centered approach, covering all the major aspects of the problems andsolutions. In fact, he is leading the way to develop and create a new breastconstruction invention known as Flex HD PliableMAX.He is pursuing further research in this, and many other areas to help improveas many lives as possible.

Dr. Wirth has also published a book, titled 'Personalized Breast Care- A Guide for Cosmetic Surgery, Breast Cancer, and Reconstruction' to helppeople going through breast surgery. Ithelps individuals understand anatomy, surgical and non-surgical options, howfamilyl and friends can help the person through the journey and empowers thereader with information and even questions to ask when setting up the medicaland surgical teams. In two years ofestablishing his practice in Newport Beach, his reputation as a top plasticsurgeon has only amplified, leading him to change more lives in the process. Asa leader, teacher, and a doctor, he has been able to impact lives in ways thattruly matters.

John Wilson is a freelance writer and a professional working with America News Hour as an editor. He enjoys writing about current trends and improvements in Technology & Science, Business Entertainment, Lifestyle and Sports.

MENAFN20012020007010068ID1099577643

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Dr. Garrett Wirth Giving hope to patients with personalized care and innovation - MENAFN.COM

Cell Biology

Refining pathological classification of breast cancer using multiplexed imaging – News-Medical.net

Breast cancer progression can vary significantly between patients. Even within the same tumor, different areas may be composed of different types of cells and characterized by different tumor structures. This heterogeneity makes it challenging to ascertain the severity of a tumor and assess its molecular subtype, thereby affecting the precision of diagnosis and the choice of the most effective treatment approach. More detailed characterization of a breast cancer tissue could help improve a treatment's chances of success and may decrease the risk of relapse.

The research group headed by Bernd Bodenmiller, professor of quantitative biology at UZH, has been able to refine the pathological classification of breast cancer using imaging mass cytometry. This method enables scientists to simultaneously visualize and analyze multiple biomarkers to generate information-rich digital images of tissue sections. In their study, the researchers quantified 35 protein biomarkers in breast cancer patients. "This created an unprecedented view of a tumor's cellular landscape and the surrounding tissue, which enabled us to determine whether more complex biomarkers exist for clinical outcome," explains Jana Fischer, co-first author of the study.

The team of researchers analyzed hundreds of tissue sections from 350 breast cancer patients and categorized the many cell components and how they are organized in cellular communities and form tumor tissues.

Four categories of breast cancer are routinely classified in the clinic, but our new analysis allows us to go further and identify multiple detailed subcategories of breast cancer. The danger from these diverse tumors can be very different, and each type could respond to therapy in its own way."

Hartland Jackson, co-first author

This finding has the potential to change clinical practice. The new subgroups of breast cancer patients vary in their molecular profiles. Bernd Bodenmiller and his research team are now working on finding out which drugs are best able to combat tumor cells with a specific molecular profile. "By improving our ability to describe cellular features and categories as well as our ability to precisely identify patients that have high or low risk breast cancer, we're opening up new possibilities for precision medicine," says Bodenmiller.

Source:

Journal reference:

Jackson, H. W., et al. (2020) The single-cell pathology landscape of breast cancer. Nature. doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1876-x.

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Refining pathological classification of breast cancer using multiplexed imaging - News-Medical.net

Cell Biology

Enzymes that cannibalize each other and promote cancer – News-Medical.net

A new study to be published this week in the journal The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in the week of January 20, 2020. shows that certain human enzymes play dual roles in health and disease. Not only do they promote the occurrence of cancer and some other illnesses, they also eliminate one another rather like cannibals. The researchers hope this behaviour can be exploited to prevent these enzymes from causing human disease.

These enzymes are called cathepsins and are intended to break down unnecessary protein in the cells. When exposed to certain environments, however, they bring about a higher risk of cancer, atherosclerosis and other conditions. In an effort to stop them from playing this role, they have been blocked using various experimental drugs. The problem is that these drugs are also toxic, with novel and poorly understood side effects.

The cathepsins in the study were cysteine cathepsins and are best known for their work in the lysosome, a cell organelle, where they break down unneeded proteins into amino acids. Image Credit: National Institutes of Health

The scientists first attempted to study one cathepsin at a time but could not because of mysterious variations in the outcome. This made them suspect that there could be another reason for this behaviour. Even more, they wondered if this was the same cause for some unexplained drug treatment failures.

In an attempt to better characterize the function of the cathepsins, and the reasons for these unexpected adverse reactions, the researchers chose to look at a model of a biological system that includes three of the enzymes working together, rather than examining them singly.

Using both calculations and experimental observations, they built a computational model that reveals the way a change in one parameter affects everything else.

Cathepsins eat away at collagen and elastin in Manu Platt's Georgia Tech lab. Image Credit: Georgia Tech / Allison Carter

The study shows that the three cathepsins investigated, namely, K, L and S, are powerful degrading chemicals, breaking down unwanted structural scaffolding material outside the cell. In addition, they also target each other for degradation, offer alternative sites of action rather than the physiological target, and block each other.

The reason why they cannibalize themselves is explained by researcher Manu Platt, Auto-digestion is my personal favorite. Think about it: You take a group of cathepsin Ks, and they eat each other. Why? Because they're just closer to each other than to what they would otherwise eat. In other words, this happens because they are designed to break down proteins, including themselves. And this is precisely what happens in a disease condition.

Another important aspect is that the three cathepsins in the study depend on each other to achieve this destructive activity. In normal health the cathepsins used in the current study work within lysosomes, the garbage digesters of the cell, cutting proteins into tiny molecules called amino acids. In certain specialized cells such as the immune cells, cathepsin S helps with antigen recognition, priming the cell to distinguish friend from foe.

However, when these enzymes are present at too high levels, they appear at the wrong sites, going berserk and breaking up even the proteins which build the structure of the body. These include elastin and collagen, the proteins that make up the whole framework of every solid body tissue, from tendons and arteries to the fibrous structure at the core of all solid tissues.

This overactivity is simply an overzealous expression of the normal function of cathepsin K, for instance, which is in charge of degrading bone tissue to retrieve and reuse the calcium. However, in a cancer, the picture changes. As Platt puts it, When breast cancer comes, those cancerous cells make cathepsin K to destroy collagen around the tumor. And that allows the cells to escape and metastasize to the bone.

If the researchers can develop a drug to prevent the tumor-promoting activity of cathepsins, it would be a very beneficial step, since these enzymes play a major role in tendon inflammation, endometriosis, cancer, sickle cell disease and atherosclerosis. Platt continues, Many cathepsin inhibitor drugs that have failed clinical trials were very finely targeted but caused big side effects, and some of those cathepsin inhibitor drugs did not even cross-react with other cathepsins they were not targeting - which is usually a good thing - so the cause of the side effects was a mystery," Platt said. "By modeling a system of cathepsins, we think we have a good start toward uncovering that mystery."

What he means is that knowing more about how they work in our bodies will be essential to developing an inhibitor to these enzymes where they are unnecessarily active. The researchers also feel they have helped come up with new approaches to this process by their systems model. One example they posit is increasing the activity of cathepsin S specifically where it could break down the other two, namely, cathepsin K and L.

The systems model is available online in the hope that other scientists can also play with these three cathepsins in a group model, varying their levels, the levels of their target enzymes and the amount of inhibitor in the model.

The researchers say they have paved the way for others to carry out further experiments and test the role of inhibitors in different ways. Platt says, They can set up their own experiments and make predictions, including what inhibitors will do, so they can test inhibitors at varying strengths in this system. They can ask questions that they can't answer yet experimentally then test the model's predictions in the lab. This is because the systems biology setup allows different inputs to be processed in the form of the final effect on the levels of the cathepsin, and on the amount of degradation. It also shows whether the other cathepsins are active or have been broken down or their activity blocked. The final result will appear in the form of a spreadsheet as well as a report for easy understanding.

Source:

While promoting diseases like cancer, these enzymes also cannibalize each other - https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-01/giot-wpd011720.php

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Enzymes that cannibalize each other and promote cancer - News-Medical.net

Cell Biology

Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation to Host Genomic Medicine Symposium – Newswise

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Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI), Feb 19

Newswise Nutley, N.J. (January 17, 2020) Genomic medicines groundbreaking treatments, and its future promise, will be the focus of a full-day symposium at the Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI) on Wednesday, February 19.

This emerging discipline for tailoring active clinical care and disease prevention to individual patients will be the focus of presentations given by eight experts from medical centers in the U.S.A. and Canada.

The Genomic Medicine Symposium convenes a diverse group of scientific experts who help serve as a vanguard for precision medicine, said David Perlin, Ph.D., chief scientific officer and vice president of the CDI. At the Center for Discovery and Innovation, we are working to make genomics a central component of clinical care, and we are delighted to host our peers and partners from other institutions.

The event is one-of-a-kind, said Benjamin Tycko, M.D., Ph.D., a member of the CDI working in this area, and one of the hosts. We are bringing together great minds with the hope it will help inform our planning for genomic medicine within Hackensack Meridian Health and inspire further clinical and scientific breakthroughs.

Cancer treatments, neuropsychiatric and behavioral disorders, cardiometabolic conditions, autoimmune disease, infectious disease, and a wide array of pediatric conditions are areas where DNA-based strategies of this type are already employed, and new ones are being tested and refined continually.

The speakers come from diverse medical institutions and will talk about a variety of clinical disorders in which prevention, screening, and treatment can be informed through genomic and epigenomic data.

Among the speakers are: Daniel Auclair, Ph.D., the scientific vice president of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation; Joel Gelernter, M.D., Ph.D., Foundations Fund Professor of Psychiatry and Professor of Genetics and of Neuroscience and Director, Division of Human Genetics (Psychiatry) at Yale University; James Knowles, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of Cell Biology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn; Tom Maniatis, Ph.D., the Isidore S. Edelman Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, director of the Columbia Precision Medicine Initiative, and the chief executive officer of the New York Genome Center; Bekim Sadikovic, Ph.D., associate professor and head of the Molecular Diagnostic Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Western University in Ontario; Helio Pedro, M.D., the section chief of the Center for Genetic and Genomic Medicine at Hackensack University Medical Center; Kevin White, Ph.D., the chief scientific officer of Chicago-based TEMPUS Genetics; and Jean-Pierre Issa, M.D., Ph.D., chief executive officer of the Coriell Research Institute.

The event is complimentary, but registration is required. It will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the auditorium of the CDI, located at 111 Ideation Way, Nutley, N.J.

The event counts for continuing medical education (CME) credits, since Hackensack University Medical Center is accredited by the Medical Society of New Jersey to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Hackensack University Medical Center additionally designates this live activity for a maximum of 7 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit TM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

For more information, visit https://www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/CDIsymposium.

ABOUTHACKENSACKMERIDIAN HEALTH

Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the largest, most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care.

Hackensack Meridian Health comprises 17 hospitals from Bergen to Ocean counties, which includes three academic medical centers Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, JFK Medical Center in Edison; two children's hospitals - Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital in Hackensack, K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital in Neptune; nine community hospitals Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel, Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair, Ocean Medical Center in Brick, Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, Pascack Valley Medical Center in Westwood, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Old Bridge, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, and Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin; a behavioral health hospital Carrier Clinic in Belle Mead; and two rehabilitation hospitals - JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison and Shore Rehabilitation Institute in Brick.

Additionally, the network has more than 500 patient care locations throughout the state which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, fitness and wellness centers, rehabilitation centers, urgent care centers and physician practice locations. Hackensack Meridian Health has more than 34,100 team members, and 6,500 physicians and is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy, committed to the health and well-being of the communities it serves.

The network's notable distinctions include having four hospitals among the top 10 in New Jersey by U.S. News and World Report. Other honors include consistently achieving Magnet recognition for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center and being named to Becker's Healthcare's "150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare/2019" list.

The Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University, the first private medical school in New Jersey in more than 50 years, welcomed its first class of students in 2018 to its On3 campus in Nutley and Clifton. Additionally, the network partnered with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to find more cures for cancer faster while ensuring that patients have access to the highest quality, most individualized cancer care when and where they need it.

Hackensack Meridian Health is a member of AllSpire Health Partners, an interstate consortium of leading health systems, to focus on the sharing of best practices in clinical care and achieving efficiencies.

For additional information, please visit http://www.HackensackMeridianHealth.org.

About the Center for Discovery and Innovation:

The Center for Discovery and Innovation, a newly established member of Hackensack Meridian Health, seeks to translate current innovations in science to improve clinical outcomes for patients with cancer, infectious diseases and other life-threatening and disabling conditions. The CDI, housed in a fully renovated state-of-the-art facility, offers world-class researchers a support infrastructure and culture of discovery that promotes science innovation and rapid translation to the clinic.

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Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation to Host Genomic Medicine Symposium - Newswise

Cell Biology

Spatial and Temporal Control of Synaptic Transmission Jan. 20 – Vanderbilt University News

Shigeki Watanabe, assistant professor in the Department of Cell Biology at Johns Hopkins University, will discuss Spatial and Temporal Control of Synaptic Transmission on Monday, Jan. 20, beginning at 12:15 p.m. in MRBIII, Room 1220.

The event is hosted by the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology Graduate Student Association and part of the departments spring 2020 seminar series.

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Spatial and Temporal Control of Synaptic Transmission Jan. 20 - Vanderbilt University News