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Function Of Key Protein In Cancer Spread Described By LSUHSC Researchers
Research led by David Worthylake, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, may help lay the groundwork for the development of a compound to prevent the spread of cancer. The research will be published in the May 29, 2009 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Biological Markers Identified That May Indicate Poor Breast Cancer Prognosis
A team of researchers has found an association between breast cancer survival and two proteins that, when present in the blood in high levels, are indicators of inflammation. Using data from the Health, Eating, Activity and Lifestyle (HEAL) study sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, the researchers found that breast cancer patients with elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) were approximately two to three times more likely to die sooner or have their cancer return than those patients who had lower levels of these proteins, regardless of the patient"s age, tumor stage, race, body mass index, or history of previous cardiovascular issues. The results of this study were published online, May 26, 2009, in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Deworming Drug Could Help Reduce Spread Of HIV In Africa, Study Finds
Providing girls in rural Africa with a deworming drug could help reduce the spread of HIV, according to a study recently published in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, the New York Times reports. The drug, called praziquantel, costs about 32 cents per pediatric dose and prevents schistosomiasis, a worm disease that starts as a urinary tract infection. If untreated, schistosomiasis can lead to female genital sores that can facilitate HIV infection. Because the drug can kill the worms but cannot cure genital sores, girls should be protected before they reach sexual maturity, according to the Times. "For this relatively small investment, the reproductive health of young women would be improved," the authors from the Sabin Vaccine Institute, Imperial College London and Oslo University wrote, adding that "there is a reasonable chance that HIV/AIDS transmission can be reduced." There are about 207 million schistosomiasis cases worldwide, 90% of which occur in Africa, where humans are exposed usually through snail-infested water. According to a pilot program conducted in Burkina Faso, all 70 million cases among young children in Africa could be treated for $22 million, and repeating universal treatment every two years for 10 years would cost $112 million (McNeil, New York Times, 5/26).
Endocrinology

Secrets Of A Life-Giving Amino Acid Revealed By Yale Researchers

Selenium is a trace element crucial to life - too little or too much of it is fatal. In the July 17 issue of the journal Science, researchers at Yale University and University of Illinois at Chicago detail the molecular mechanisms that govern its metabolism in the human body. "It must require an intricately regulated uptake system," said Dieter Sç¶ll, co-senior author of the paper, Sterling Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale. "There are 25 human selenoproteins, and most of them are probably essential for life." Selenium is thought to offer protection from diverse human ailments including adverse mood states, cardiovascular disease, viral infections and cancer. Selenocysteine is the most active metabolite of selenium in humans. It is unique among amino acids because it is the only one synthesized directly on a transfer RNA (tRNA) molecule, which shuttles the amino acids to the protein-making machinery within cells. Proteins that contain selenocysteine are responsible for recycling protective antioxidants such as vitamin C and coenzyme Q10. Sç¶ll"s team for the first time captured images of how selenocysteine is created on a super-sized tRNA molecule, which seems to have a highly specialized role in nature. The 20 other amino acids and their associated tRNAs use the same protein vehicle, called an elongation factor, for transport to the ribosome. However, nature has provided this large tRNA molecule with a specialized elongation factor that chauffeurs only selenocysteine to the ribosome. "This structure reveals most aspects of the mechanism for the formation of selenocysteine and provides an answer to 20 years of biochemical work in the field," said Sotiria Palioura, lead author of the study and an M.D./Ph.D. candidate at Yale. The findings may lead to greater understanding of autoimmune liver disease. The tRNA complex described in the Science paper is the target of antibodies in patients with Type 1 autoimmune hepatitis. "The region that the antibody is supposed to recognize is at the business end of this molecule, where we see the reaction happening," Palioura said. "Selenocysteine has been found to be a critical component of enzymes involved in a number of normal and disease processes," said Michael Bender of the National Institutes of Health"s National Institute of General Medical Sciences. "This basic study, which has shed light on selenocysteine"s unique biosynthetic pathway, could ultimately have an impact on many aspects of human health, including the immune response, neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disease, and cancer." Other Yale authors on the paper were R. Lynn Sherrer and Thomas A. Steitz. Senior co-author on the paper was Miljan Simonovic of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Funding for the research was provided by the National Institute for General Medical Sciences, the Department of Energy, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Yale University. Citation: Science, July 17 Yale University


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