Tool compounds are used to explore the role of a specific protein in a biological context and – it goes without saying – that to obtain meaningful results in a complex situation, the tool compound should have appropriate potency and…
Blog Archives
Study Casts New Light on Prozac Mechanism
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as fluoxetine (Prozac®) have been used to treat depression for more than three decades but researchers from INSERM and Hoffmann-La Roche have now shed new light on their mechanism of action. SSRIs are believed…
Stomach Bugs Need Vitamin B6
Approximately half of the world’s population is infected with Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium that causes peptic ulcers and some forms of stomach cancer. Although ‘triple therapy’ with a proton pump inhibitor and two antibiotics – selected from a very limited…
Common Pathway for Neurodegenerative Diseases
Nitrosylation of proteins is emerging as a key post-translational modification important in both normal physiology and a wide spectrum of diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases. Physiological levels of nitric oxide (NO) can be neuroprotective, in part at least, by inhibiting caspase…
PPARγ– A New Twist in the Tale
Obesity and related disorders such as diabetes have reached epidemic proportions. Although the anti-diabetic thiazolidinediones (glitazones) are effective insulin sensitizers, some members of the class have been withdrawn or had their use restricted because of safety concerns. Increased responsiveness to…
Saying it with Flowers
The process of cell competition is believed to provide a mechanism to optimise tissue ‘fitness’ during development by eliminating weaker cells from the overall cell population. First described in Drosophila, a number of genes have been linked to cell competition…
How ApoE4 May Increase Alzheimer’s Risk
ApoE is a lipid transport protein with roles in transport of dietary lipids, regulation of plasma cholesterol, and protection from atherosclerosis. In humans, there are three variants of ApoE (ApoE2, ApoE3 and ApoE4) and one of these, ApoE4, has been…
Dual-receptor T-cells may Trigger MS
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disorder in which T-cells attack and damage the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord, disrupting the conduction of electrical signals along the nerve fibres. Although both genetic factors…
Adenosine may Mediate Effects of Acupuncture
The origins of acupuncture are lost in antiquity and, today, the effectiveness of such treatment remains controversial. Despite the sometimes extravagant claims of proponents, there is little scientific basis to explain how acupuncture works and many researchers believe that the…
The Mysteries of Arsenic
For many people, the word ‘arsenic’ conjures up thoughts of murder mysteries and, in fact, arsenic has been a popular murder weapon since the middle ages. In the Victorian era, arsenic trioxide found favour as a cosmetic and it has…
