Health Research - Mouse Models

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN, NEWS BUREAU Research News         SHARE  PRINT    E-MAIL IMAGE:  RESEARCHERS DISCOVERED A SMALL MOLECULE, ERSO, THAT ERADICATES BREAST CANCERS IN MICE BY TARGETING A PATHWAY THAT PROTECTS CANCER CELLS.  view  more  CREDIT: PHOTO BY L. BRIAN STAUFFER CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- A new approach to treating breast cancer kills 95-100% of cancer cells in mouse models of human estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancers and their metastases in bone, brain, liver and lungs. The newly developed drug, called ErSO, quickly shrinks even large tumors to undetectable levels. Led by scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the research team reports the findings in the journal  Science Translational Medicine. "Even when a few breast cancer cells do survive, enabling tumors to regrow over several months, the tumors that regrow remain completely sensitive to retreatment with ErSO," said U. of I. biochemistry professor  David Shapiro , who led

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO Research News         SHARE  PRINT    E-MAIL A new University of Chicago study has found that the drug masitinib may be effective in treating COVID-19. The drug, which has undergone several clinical trials for human conditions but has not yet received approval to treat humans, inhibited the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in human cell cultures and in a mouse model, leading to much lower viral loads. Researchers at UChicago's Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME), working with collaborators at Argonne National Laboratory and around the world, also found that the drug could be effective against many types of coronaviruses and picornaviruses. Because of the way it inhibits replication, it has also been shown to remain effective in the face of COVID-19 variants. "Inhibitors of the main protease of SARS-CoV-2, like masitinib, could be a new potential way to treat COVID patients, especially in early stages of the disease," said Prof. Savas Tay, who led

Proteins constitute an essential dietary component that help in the growth and repair of the body. Composed of long chains of amino acids, proteins promote the growth of skeletal muscles, the group of muscles that help us move. Humans have been aware of the benefits of proteins for long. However, recent studies have shown that having the right amount of protein at the right time of the day is essential for proper growth. This is called 'Chrononutrition,' in which when you eat is as important as what and how you eat. The reason behind this is the body's internal biological clock, called the 'circadian rhythm.' This rhythm is followed by all cells and controls life functions like metabolism and growth. Interestingly, protein digestion and absorption have been found to fluctuate across day and night according to this clock. Moreover, earlier studies have reported that intake of protein at breakfast and lunch promotes skeletal muscle growth in adults. However, details o

Exposure to antibiotics in utero or after birth could lead to brain disorders in later childhood, says Rutgers researcher RUTGERS UNIVERSITY Research News         SHARE  PRINT    E-MAIL IMAGE:  LEAD AUTHOR MARTIN BLASER, DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR ADVANCED BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE AT RUTGERS  view  more  CREDIT: RUTGERS UNIVERSITY Antibiotic exposure early in life could alter human brain development in areas responsible for cognitive and emotional functions, according to a Rutgers researcher. The laboratory study, published in the journal  iScience , suggests that penicillin changes the microbiome - the trillions of beneficial microorganisms that live in and on our bodies - as well as gene expression, which allows cells to respond to its changing environment, in key areas of the developing brain. The findings suggest reducing widespread antibiotic use or using alternatives when possible to prevent neurodevelopment problems. Penicillin and related medicines (like ampicillin and amoxic

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH Research News         SHARE  PRINT    E-MAIL IMAGE:  ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, AND RADIATION ONCOLOGIST, UPMC HILLMAN CANCER CENTER.  view  more  CREDIT: UPMC PITTSBURGH, July 14, 2021 - More doesn't necessarily mean better--including in cancer treatment. University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists report today in  Science Translational Medicine  that combining targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy with immunotherapy significantly boosts eradication of metastatic cancer in mice, even when the radiation is given in doses too low to destroy the cancer outright. "We're excited--with such low doses of radiation, we didn't expect the response to be so positive," said lead author Ravi Patel, M.D., assistant professor at Pitt and radiation oncologist at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. "In clinical trials, we tend to go with the maximum tolerable dose, the idea

 (NAD+ supposedly does this - I take it!) The mechanism through which the protein SIRT6 acts as a 'fountain of youth' allows old mice to conduct the same level of vigorous activity as their young counterparts, without becoming frail BAR-ILAN UNIVERSITY Research News         SHARE  PRINT    E-MAIL IMAGE:  IN A PAPER RECENTLY PUBLISHED BY NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, AN INTERNATIONAL TEAM OF RESEARCHERS, LED BY BAR-ILAN UNIVERSITY IN ISRAEL, REPORT THAT TRANSGENIC MICE EXPRESS HIGH LEVELS OF THE SIRT6 GENE... view  more  CREDIT: COURTESY BAR-ILAN UNIVERSITY Aging is associated with an overall decline in health and increased frailty, and is a major risk factor for multiple chronic diseases. Frailty syndrome, characterized by weakness, fatigue and low physical activity, affects more than 30% of the elderly population. Increasing our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the aging process is a top priority to facilitate the development of interventions that will lead to the preservat