'Jumping Gene' May Contribute To A Premature Aging Syndrome Mar 22, 2008
Genetic defects in certain DNA repair factors like the CSB protein have been known for some time to cause premature aging, but the reasons are still unclear. Most cases of Cockayne syndrome (CS) are caused by recessive mutations in the CSB gene, yet some individuals with inherited mutations that cause complete loss of the CSB protein are nearly unaffected. (Science Daily)
Doctor: Alzheimer's, Parkinson's Can Be Prevented. Mar 19, 2008
Two easy-to-find supplements that restore your body's powerful DNA repair enzymes. And much more. (Newsmax)
Fallout From Atomic Bombs Still Causing Health Problems Mar 16, 2008
"It's possible that in utero the developing embryo has a better DNA repair process," Crabtree said. "Or it could be that embryos are better at removing damaged cells altogether, because cell death is a normal part of the developmental process.". (Health-Finder)
Brits Discover Breast Cancer Vaccine Feb 29, 2008
In essence it will block DNA repair in the BRCA genes and destroy their chances of multiplying. This drug could also be free of the side effects associated with other cancer treatments such as pain, nausea and hair loss. (MedIndia)
New Protein Tag Enhances View Within Living Cells Feb 28, 2008
One such method, developed by Dr. Kai Johnsson and colleagues at Ecole Polytechnique F;d;rale de Lausanne, is derived from the human DNA repair enzyme alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT). This tool, called SNAP-tag, can be covalently labeled in living cells using benzylguanine (BG) derivatives bearing a chemical probe. (Science Daily)
North-East pioneers new drug for cancer Feb 28, 2008
The drug works by knocking out a key DNA repair mechanism in cancer cells. It does this by blocking the action of an important enzyme involved in DNA repair, known as Parp (poly ADP-ribose polymerase), and is part of a class of new anti-cancer drugs known as Parp inhibitors. (The Northern Echo)
New Switch Of The Immune Response Discovered Feb 27, 2008
13, 2000) An enzyme involved in DNA repair has been shown by researchers at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine to also play a critical role in innate immunity, the body s. . (Science Daily)
Ireland Cancer Center and TRACON Pharmaceuticals Announce Treating the First Cancer Patient With TRC102, An Inhibitor of Chemotherapy Resistance Feb 25, 2008
CLEVELAND and SAN DIEGO, Feb. 25, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The Ireland Cancer Center of University Hospitals Case Medical Center and TRACON Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the first cancer patient has been treated in a Phase 1 clinical trial with TRC102, a novel anti-cancer drug intended to reverse resistance to Temodar(r) chemotherapy by targeting a specific DNA repair pathway. ADVERTISEMENT. (Primezone Releases)
Yale study offers insight into possible cause of lymphoma Feb 15, 2008
"It now seems likely that anything that compromises the function of these DNA repair processes could lead to widespread mutations and an increased risk of cancer." ... Second, DNA repair enzymes spot the changes and begin making "sloppy" repairs, which lead to yet more mutations. (EurekAlert!)
Study reveals why certain ovarian cancers develop resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy Feb 11, 2008
Because BRCA1 and BRCA2 have similar functions in terms of DNA repair, we may be able to generalize these findings for women with either mutation, said Taniguchi, an assistant member of the Hutchinson Centers Human Biology and Public Health Sciences divisions. BRCA2 works to repair damaged DNA; inherited mutations in this gene disrupt that ability, which increases the risk of ovarian and breast cancer. (EurekAlert!)
BRCA1 Mutation Linked To Breast Cancer Stem Cells Feb 2, 2008
Previous research has shown that BRCA1 is involved in DNA repair, but it has been unclear why women with this gene mutation have such a high risk of breast cancer, up to 85 percent lifetime risk compared to 16 percent in the general population. The cancers which develop in these women are generally a more aggressive form called triple negative type, because they do not express hormones or proteins, including estrogen, that can be targeted with therapies. (Science Daily)
A Taxing Issue: How Human T-lymphotropic Virus Can Cause Leukemia In Adults Feb 1, 2008
Tax has a number of effects in the cell, including promoting inappropriate cell division, repressing DNA repair mechanisms and causing genomic instability. These effects are thought to combine and cause cancer, although the exact details of the process are unclear. (Science Daily)
Dynamical pathway analysis Jan 27, 2008
We applied our framework to three real-world datasets: the SOS DNA repair network in E. coli under different dosages of radiation, the GSH redox cycle in mice lung exposed to either poisonous air or normal air, and the MAPK pathway in mammalian cell lines exposed to three types of HIV type I Vpr, a wild type and two mutant types; and we found that the three genetic networks exhibited fundamentally different dynamical properties in normal and abnormal cells. Conclusions. (BioMed Central)
Function approximation approach to the inference of reduced NGnet models of genetic networks Jan 15, 2008
We then applied the proposed method to actual expression data of the bacterial SOS DNA repair system, and succeeded in finding several reasonable regulations. When our method inferred the genetic network from the actual data, it required about 4. (BioMed Central)
TaMSH7: A cereal mismatch repair gene that affects fertility in transgenic barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Dec 21, 2007
Chromosome pairing, recombination and DNA repair are essential processes during meiosis in sexually reproducing organisms. Investigating the bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Ph2 (Pairing homoeologous) locus has identified numerous candidate genes that may have a role in controlling such processes, including TaMSH7, a plant specific member of the DNA mismatch repair family. (BioMed Central)
Highly Promising Dutch Research Into Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease Dec 17, 2007
Pharming's Market Authorization Application for lead product Rhucin(R) for treatment of acute attacks of Hereditary Angioedema is under review with the EMEA. The advanced technologies of Pharming include innovative platforms for the production of protein therapeutics, technology and processes for the purification and formulation of these products, as well as technologies in the field of tissue repair via its collaboration with NovaThera and DNA repair via DNage. Additional information is... (PR Newswire)
Breast Cancer Spread by Blocking Tumor-Killing Gene, Study Says Dec 10, 2007
These kinds of mutations that break tumor suppressors in half may turn out to be common in many kinds of carcinomas, particularly those with deficiencies in DNA repair pathways similar to BRCA1,'' said Lao Saal, a research fellow in Parsons' lab at the time of the study, in a statement. Breast, thyroid and colon tumors may respond particularly well to such therapy. (Bloomberg)
New study reveals for first time how BRCA1 mutations cause breast cancer Dec 10, 2007
These kinds of mutations that break tumor suppressors in half may turn out to be common in many kinds of carcinomas, particularly those with deficiencies in DNA repair pathways similar to BRCA1, a question that only a systematic search can answer, said Dr. Saal. Similar research is underway in tumors from carriers of germline mutations in BRCA2, the other known major breast cancer susceptibility gene, said Dr. Borg. (EurekAlert!)
Skin cream tackles skin cancers in mice Dec 4, 2007
A skin cream that can hyperactivate the body's natural DNA repair mechanisms has been shown to protect mice from skin cancer, and to reduce the growth of cancers already present ... Lotion containing fragments of DNA can ward off precancerous skin lesions in mice (see ), and a salve containing a DNA repair protein reduces the number of skin tumours in people with a genetic defect in this DNA repair system. (Nature News Service)
Genes identified that protect against heart damage from chemotherapy Dec 4, 2007
Yeast, which have about 6,000 genes compared to humans 30,000, are good models for study of human cells because they include the same basic cellular functions such as replication, DNA repair, signaling and even cell death, says Dr. Cashikar, MCG geneticist and a study co-author. They found 71 genes that conveyed varying degree of protection from doxorubicin. (EurekAlert!)
Graveyard Shift Work Linked to Cancer Dec 1, 2007
Certain processes like cell division and DNA repair happen at regular times. Even worse than working an overnight shift is flipping between daytime and overnight work. (Newsday -- Columnists)
Night shift 'may be cancer risk' Dec 1, 2007
Certain processes like cell division and DNA repair happen at regular times. But if the body needs to do something at an unusual time - like produce insulin in the middle of the night to help digest food - that can set off a chain reaction of biological mistakes. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
New Microscope Peers Into Secret Lives Of Cells Nov 27, 2007
Currently, Czymmek and his staff--associate scientist Liz Adams and research associates Deborah Powell and Shannon Modla--are assisting UD researchers with a broad range of scientific projects on plants and fungi, vocal cords, bone health, biofilms, DNA repair, and gel-like synthetic polymers, among others. An average of 175 users per year have been served at the center since it opened in 2001, according to Czymmek. (Science Daily)
Gene Variant Doubles Risk of Prostate Cancer in Black Men Nov 3, 2007
"This gene is involved in DNA repair.". In the study, Kittles' team looked at the 8q24 region of chromosome 8 and compared genotypes of 490 black men with prostate cancer to 567 controls. (Health-Finder)
Junk Science: Food Nannies' Halloween Cancer Scare Nov 2, 2007
It s known that the risk of cancer increases with age possibly because of the deterioration of DNA repair mechanisms and a few well-documented risk factors, such as family history of cancer, heavy smoking, and exposure to certain viruses and some exposures to radiation. Outside of those and perhaps a few other risk factors, the occurrence of cancer is largely inexplicable. (Fox News)
New genetic variant associated with prostate cancer in African-Americans Nov 1, 2007
That variation is located within a gene that plays a role in DNA repair. A malfunction in DNA repair could contribute to cancer development. (EurekAlert!)
Scientists hail DNA repair study Oct 18, 2007
The scientists said it was only DNA repair that stopped people from contracting cancer on a regular basis. They said the research represented a major breakthrough in investigating how DNA was formed and replicated by viruses. (BBC News -- Health)
Vucurevich care center gets grants Oct 15, 2007
The program includes clinical trials, patient navigator services, community and cancer patient surveys, community education and outreach, and an ATM gene test regarding DNA repair. "Our clinical trials have made cutting-edge cancer treatments and technology ... available in western South Dakota," Petereit said. (Rapid City Journal, SD)
Tea for life Oct 8, 2007
Human clinical trials by Iman Hakim, a professor at the Arizona Cancer Center at the University of Arizona, suggest that compounds in green tea positively affect genes involved in cancer susceptibility and DNA repair, although not everyone will respond equally well. Also, Hakim says, an ongoing clinical trial of former and current smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has found a "significant improvement" in levels of HDL, or good, cholesterol in volunteers given tea as opposed to a... (USA Today -- News)
Red Wine Ingredient -- Resveratrol -- Fights Diabetes In Mice Oct 5, 2007
The research group also confirmed that increased levels of an enzyme called SIRT1, which earlier studies had linked to longevity, DNA repair, and insulin secretion, improve insulin sensitivity in mice. Resveratrol is known to activate the SIRT1 enzyme. (Science Daily)
'Smoking a turn-on for some genes' Oct 1, 2007
They found some DNA repair genes were turned off in smokers and stayed off in the former smokers. Damage to the DNA is one of the main causes of cancer. (India Times, India -- Health/Science)
New Clues To Breast Cancer Development In High-risk Women Sep 17, 2007
BRCA serves as a DNA repair molecule throughout the body, fixing cellular processes that have malfunctioned for some reason, said Furth ... Loss of BRCA function interferes with DNA repair and, as shown in this study, it appears to enhance to growth effects of estrogen. (Science Daily)
New View Of DNA Repair: Enzyme Alerts Cell's Powerful Army To Repair DNA Damage Sep 10, 2007
To reduce the chance of harmful mutations that may result from DNA damage, p53 may kill cells or stop them temporarily from dividing, so that there is time for DNA repair. Learning more about the processes involved in transcription could pay off in improved treatments in years to come. (Science Daily)
New Mechanism In Development Of Severe Inherited Disease Discovered Sep 6, 2007
Cockayne Syndrome is a recessively inherited disorder that belongs to a group of diseases in which defects in one of the numerous DNA repair systems lead to non-functioning proteins and, thus, to severe health impairments ... The scale of these defects suggested that a dysfunctional DNA repair mechanism alone cannot be responsible for this whole range of impairments ... Cockayne Syndrome is characterized by a defect in the CSB protein, which is the main component of a particular DNA repair... (Science Daily)
Scientists look for 'immortal cells' Sep 3, 2007
Given enough time, dormant cells without active DNA repair mechanisms would eventually incur a lethal level of radiation-induced damage from natural background sources in the ice, he said. The other possibility, he said, could be that the microbes might have stayed metabolically active while remaining entrapped in the ice, giving them the ability to repair damage as it occurred. (India Times, India -- Health/Science)
Smoking Affects Gene Activity Sep 2, 2007
Given the link between smoking and cancer, you might expect smoking to affect genes associated with cell division and DNA repair ... genes involved in DNA repair; and. (Suite101.com)
Smoking Turns On Genes -- Permanently Aug 31, 2007
Some DNA repair genes are irreversibly damaged by smoking, and smoking also switched off genes that help combat lung cancer development. The researchers identified a number of genes not previously associated with smoking that are switched on in active smokers. (Science Daily)
Smoking stays in your genes after you quit Aug 30, 2007
Similarly, several genes that encode proteins involved in DNA repair were also expressed at lower levels in former and current smokers. You are reducing the risk of disease by quitting, but it isn't going back to zero. (Nature News Service)
Gene regulation in humans is closer than expected to simple organisms Aug 30, 2007
An external or internal stimulus activates some genes, which in turn control others genes whose activity turns on or off various biological processes (such as the cell cycle, energy production, DNA repair, cellular suicide etc). Many of the regulatory functions are controlled by attachment of special proteins (transcription factors) to 6 - 10 nucleotide long binding sequences located on the DNA, activating or suppressing expression of the regulated gene. (EurekAlert!)
Self-fertility In Fungi: The Secrets Of 'DIY Reproduction' Aug 18, 2007
Aspergillus nidulans is often used as a model organism for scientists studying a wide range of subjects including basic genetic problems that are also applicable to humans, including recombination, DNA repair and cell metabolism. The work was supported by a grant from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and also involved researchers at Northern Illinois University and CNRS in France. (Science Daily)
Paradoxes in carcinogenesis: New opportunities for research directions Aug 7, 2007
Various paradoxes related to the somatic mutation theory of carcinogenesis are discussed: (1) the presence of large numbers of spatially distinct precancerous lesions at the onset of promotion, (2) the large number of genetic instabilities found in hyperplastic polyps not considered cancer, (3) spontaneous regression, (4) higher incidence of cancer in patients with xeroderma pigmentosa but not in patients with other comparable defects in DNA repair, (5) lower incidence of many cancers except... (BioMed Central)
Booming Anti-Aging Medicine Now Takes China Aug 2, 2007
The LEx Prize ( ) will be awarded for a therapeutic program which reduces objective, measurable biomarkers of aging, including mitrochondrial energy production, cortisol levels, DNA repair, cardiac output, memory and cognitive function. The cumulative effect on human lifespan, which the anti-aging revolution offers, can be seen in a free, online Lifespan Test, developed in association with Dr. Klatz, Dr. Goldman and a team of scientists. (PR Newswire)
Skin cream goes from paying bills to fighting cancer Aug 2, 2007
"We contributed to the discovery that the active form of niacin is involved in DNA repair," Myron Jacobson said. "We are interested in using that in pharmaceutical development.". (AZCentral -- Business)
First Course Developed To 'Train The Trainers' About Radiation And Nuclear Exposure Jul 30, 2007
The fifth lecture will be addressed by Alan D'Andrea, M.D., chief, Division of Genomic Stability and DNA Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard University, regarding the DNA damage response. D'Andrea has extensively researched rare human genetic diseases and has developed unique models for investigating the cellular response to radiation. (Science Daily)
Ku Antibodies Jul 23, 2007
The Ku antigen (p70/p80 antigen) is a nucleolar protein that occurs as a component of a DNA-dependent protein kinase enzyme complex involved in double-stranded DNA repair and V(D)J recombination in protein linkages. Ku antigen is induced in responses to the immune system cytokines IL-13 and IL-4 within the region of the 15-lipoxygenase-1 promoter. (Suite101.com)
Impaired DNA Repair Jul 20, 2007
Some cancers result from defective DNA repair systems ... As a result, the existence of efficient DNA repair processes within cells is critical for their proper functioning, protection against and indeed their survival ... Such defects within the DNA repair systems allow for the accumulation of mutations that would normally have been repaired. (Suite101.com)
Belly bugs may descend from deep-sea bacteria Jul 4, 2007
They also had few DNA repair genes, allowing frequent mutations to occur, and adapted quickly to changing conditions and to the immune response of a symbiotic host. Such characteristics allowed the gut bacteria to persist in infections, the scientists wrote. (MSNBC -- Environment)
Scientists Discover Role Of Enzyme In DNA Repair Jun 29, 2007
With this new technology we can visualize for the first time the interplay between complex mechanisms such as DNA repair and gene transcription, not in a test tube, but in living cells and in real time. This approach will help us unravel the inner molecular pathways of our cells in health and disease, such as cancer. (Science Daily)
Worms in space Jun 28, 2007
Along with having skin, a nervous system and a complex reproductive system, both species have had their genes sequenced and have similar DNA repair structures. Unlike humans, however, the worms go from hatching to laying an egg in about 3 days. (Globe and Mail -- Technology)
Patients Begin Enrolling in Studies to Determine if Women With BRCA 1 & 2 Positive Cancer may Receive Greater Benefit From New Treatment Jun 19, 2007
The BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are involved in DNA repair and when this function is lost due to a mutation, cells are unable to repair breaks in DNA. Research has shown that women who inherit faults in either the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes are predisposed to a higher incidence of breast and ovarian cancer. It is hypothesised that PARP inhibitors work by inhibiting DNA repair in the BRCA deficient tumour cells, thereby overloading these cells with DNA damage and selectively killing these cells ... KuDOS... (Canada Newswire)
Herpes Virus Hijacks DNA Repair Process Jun 16, 2007
"However, by targeting the viral protein responsible for activating the DNA damage response, we may be able to block viral replication. In addition, determining how the DNA repair response helps viral replication may enable us to develop novel strategies to treat infection.". The paper appears online this week in Cell Host & Microbe. (Science Daily)
ERCC1 and Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer Jun 14, 2007
The ERCC1 protein associates with the xeroderma pigmentosum group F (XPF) protein to form a nuclease that functions in DNA repair. 2 The level of ERCC1 protein was proposed as a useful predictor of response to cisplatin-based chemotherapy and clinical outcome,3 on the basis of immunohistochemical staining of tumors with the use of the monoclonal antibody 8F1. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Downwinders may have a new worry: genetic damage. Jun 10, 2007
"And that's a cancer cell." DNA repair mechanisms were still working well for the veterans ... He said DNA repairs can't keep pace with the damage because there are so many translocations. (Deseret News)
Could scans replace mammograms? Jun 8, 2007
Chicago has skyscrapers that rival the Tower of Babel more closely than anywhere else on earth: the Sears building is the tallest building in the Western world. The resemblance to the problems encountered after the collapse of the Tower of Babel were also obvious in Chicago this week, when more than 30,000 cancer experts gathered from across the world at the annual ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) Conference to exchange ideas on the latest developments in oncology. (Times Online)
Analysis Reveals Extent Of DNA Repair Army May 26, 2007
For example, in a companion paper, also published this week in Science, Elledge's group used the new DNA repair database to identify two proteins critical to recruiting the BRCA1 gene to sites of DNA damage ... " The proteins, known as Abraxas and RAP80, bind to the BRCA1 protein and form a complex that governs three essential modes of DNA damage control: damage resistance, genetic checkpoints that constrain cell proliferation, and DNA repair. There are three variants of this BRCA1 complex and... (Science Daily)
The interaction of PP1 with BRCA1 and analysis of their gene expression in breast tumors May 19, 2007
The breast cancer susceptibility gene, BRCA1, is implicated in multiple cellular processes including DNA repair, the transactivation of genes, and the ubiquitination of proteins; however its precise functions remain to be fully understood. Identification and characterization of BRCA1 protein interactions may help to further elucidate the function and regulation of BRCA1. (BioMed Central)
Chemotherapy Thwarted by Cancer-Killing Gene May 18, 2007
CANCELED OUT: Researchers have determined that the gene p53, which codes for a known tumor suppressor and DNA repair protein, actually may reverse the effects of chemotherapy. A study of ovarian cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy determined that individuals with a mutant, nonfunctional version of the tumor-suppressing gene p53 had a survival rate more than twice as high as counterparts with a properly functioning gene. (Scientific American)
Sequence variations in DNA repair gene XPC is associated with lung cancer risk in a Chinese population: a case-control study May 14, 2007
The nucleotide excision repair (NER) protein, xeroderma pigmentosum C (XPC), participates in recognizing DNA lesions and initiating DNA repair in response to DNA damage. Because mutations in XPC cause a high risk of cancer in XP patients, we hypothesized that inherited sequence variations in XPC may alter DNA repair and thus susceptibility to cancer. (BioMed Central)
Sheep reveal 'body clock' clues Apr 24, 2007
"It could be beneficial to those working night shift, who suffer poor health and have reduced life expectancy, as well as looking at how our metabolism is regulated throughout the year. "The calendar genes could even provide new insight into the most basic timed mechanisms of DNA repair and aging. " VIDEO AND AUDIO NEWS SEE ALSO 12 Apr 07 | Magazine 29 Mar 07 | Health 17 Mar 07 | Science/Nature 02 Mar 07 | In Pictures 15 Jan 07 | Nottinghamshire 16 Aug 06 | Highlands and Islands RELATED INTERNET... (BBC News)
Faulty DNA Repair Linked To Huntington's Disease Onset Apr 24, 2007
Researchers recently uncovered evidence that faulty DNA repair may be to blame for the onset of Huntington's disease symptoms ... "As so often happens, basic research on a fundamental biological process--in this case, enzymes involved in DNA repair--leads to new insights about how diseases arise and new approaches for treating or preventing them," said NIH Director Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D. ... DNA repair enzymes initially keep oxidative lesions in check, but over time, increasing numbers of... (Science Daily)
Genetic Susceptibility Linked to Rare Brain Tumor Apr 24, 2007
The study authors concluded that future studies "should focus on the identification of specific genes that are involved in this inherited familial sensitivity to ionizing radiation. DNA repair and cell control genes, such as the ataxia-telangiectasia gene, could be plausible candidates for investigation.". The findings could have implications for current radiation protection standards, which assume the all people have uniform sensitivity to radiation, Eric Hall, a professor at the Center for... (Health-Finder)
Mayo Clinic discovers DNA repair as key to Huntington's disease Apr 23, 2007
According to Dr. McMurray, the finding is the first confirmed connection between the DNA repair and progression of the disease ... "As so often happens, basic research on a fundamental biological process -- in this case, enzymes involved in DNA repair -- leads to new insights about how diseases arise and new approaches for treating or preventing them," said NIH Director Elias Zerhouni, M.D. ... In a further step, the team eliminated a key enzyme (OGG1) related to DNA repair for oxidative lesions... (EurekAlert!)
Discoveries Thrust Cancer-initiating Stem Cells Into A Larger Role In Cancer Biology And Treatment Apr 20, 2007
Since BRCA1 also regulates DNA repair, this may then produce genetically unstable stem cells which in turn generate tumors in these women. According to Liu, the loss of a single BRCA1 gene can lead to stem cell propagation. (Science Daily)
Abbott explores new paths to fight cancer Apr 20, 2007
Abbott said the methods company researchers are studying include stopping "DNA repair" in cancer cells and "teaching cells how to die." For example, Abbott presented data on a compound known as a Bcl-2 family protein inhibitor, known under the scientific name ABT-263, that is showing progress at correcting defects in cancer cells that allow them to "escape programmed cell death," the company said. "Dozens of researchers from around the world are studying Abbott's Bcl-2 family protein... (Chicago Tribune)
No Solution To Cancer: Have Our Genes Evolved To Turn Against Us? Apr 18, 2007
This finding was confirmed by other researchers and could be traced to mutations in particular DNA repair genes ... After several years of data mining and theoretical modelling, he was able to demonstrate a connection between loss of DNA repair and harmful environmental factors in the intestines ... Breivik thus proposed the following hypothesis: Although DNA repair is favourable to the organism; it may not be favourable to the individual cell. (Science Daily)
