Antimicrobial "Bug Spray" Found In Human Lung Cells
...line defense mechanism--they shoot out one or more peptides that kill bacteria." After the first such compounds were identified in cells from frog skin and cow throats by researchers at other institutions Young Hee Ko, a research associate in Pedersen's lab, suspected that CF jammed the "nozzle" on a sim...Interleukin-2 Boosts Cancer Vaccine Effectiveness In Mice
...imenting with tumor vaccines made from singletumor peptides mixed with dendritic cells, Mulé and his colleagues use wholetumors called lysates---tumor cells which have been frozen and thawed severaltimes to kill them. "By using the entire tumor cell, we are sensitizing theimmune system to attack all t...National Jewish researchers first to identify component in thymus that positively selects T cells
...T cells with working receptors, which later sample peptides on thesurface of cells. Most of the T cells that ...mus because itcontains receptors that can identify peptides and mount an immune systemresponse, if appropriate. T cells that attack foreign entities in the imm...Duke/Novalon researchers identify potential mechanism behind tamoxifen resistance in breast cancers
...researchers at Novalon tested billionsof different peptides -- small proteins that bind to receptors -- to det...fferent drugs. McDonnell suspected that different peptides would interactdifferently with the estrogen receptor when it was bound with either estrogen ortamoxi...Experimental peptides prevent diabetes and halt its progression
... the pancreas. "We're taking fragments or peptides of GAD65, a protein produced by betacells, and usi...als do not developovert diabetes." Why use peptides and not the whole protein? According to the UNCresearcher, several reasons apply. "It's a relativ...Alcohol: the chemistry of the dark side
...ppliesof dopamine, gamma aminobutyric acid, opioid peptides and serotoninsystems--chemicals that are responsible for our feelings of pleasure andwell-being. At the same time, it promotes the release of stress chemicals,such as corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), that create tension anddepression. In com...UI study advances understanding of antimicrobials and cystic fibrosis-related infection
...sis airways. Under normal conditions,antimicrobial peptides and proteins destroy the invasive microorganisms thatland on the airway surface. "Saltiness impairs the ability of the airway surface liquid to kill bacteria,"Travis said. "We investigated specifically whether antimicrobials could killbacteria in th...Pathway may provide target for treating chronic pain
...cking serotonin on the outside of the cell orusing peptides to inhibit the interaction between GRIP and AMPA inside the cell.Another strategy could involve a substance called protein kinase C (PKC). Likeserotonin, large quantities of PKC can activate silent synapses. In theseexperiments, Zhuo and colleagues h...New tests for blood clots, lung cancer use NIDCR patented technology
...acilitatesthe creation of complex, custom-designed peptides and peptide-based reagents. The method was license...tests and targeted therapeutics based on synthetic peptides linked toradioisotopes. One of the approved tests recognizes life-threatening blood clotsand the oth...Duke team seeks novel vaccine strategy for HIV
...e Duke candidate vaccine is a mixture of synthetic peptides taken from thegp120 regions of four significantly different strains of HIV. This vaccine,developed by Haynes and colleagues, has been shown to be strong enough tostimulate neutralizing antibodies, and since it is based on synthetic peptides,there ar...UT Southwestern scientists develop method of synthesizing antibodies
...plained how they set up a selection system to find peptides that mimic antibodies by binding to specific pepti...idly and easily sort through a large collection of peptides for those few with the desired epitope-binding properties. Kodadek said that they believe the ant......y have general application for analysis of complex peptides intended for therapeutic use. Sustained Activity and Release of Leuprolide Acetate from an In Situ Polymeric Implant By Harish B. Ravivarapu, Katie L. Moyer, and Richard L. Dunn This article describes the preclinical development of an injectab...NIH funds unique diabetes program that combines research with technology development
... seek to exploit and develop the identification of peptides that bind to specific cell types to target genes and other molecules specifically to islet b-cells. In collaboration with Grayburn, he also will try to develop a novel physical method for targeted gene delivery that has merits on its own but that may......an analog of the angiotensin family of novel small peptides to treat a variety of conditions that could benefit from an increase in the formation and release of stem cells. In addition to the adjuvant breast cancer study, MARstem is currently undergoing Phase I/II clinical trials to evaluate the effects in c...University of Toronto researchers develop potent vaccine for Alzheimer's
...when toxic biochemical compounds known as amyloid peptides accumulate in the brain, forming amyloid plaque de... (CRND) determined that immunization with amyloid peptides blocked both the production of the plaques and learning impairment. "Not only were we able to clean ...New study in mice shows promise for vaccine to prevent plaque buildup
...ion in Atlanta. The vaccine consists of synthetic peptides (compounds that make up proteins) that resemble the structure of certain portions of the major protein component (Apo B100) of the bad type of cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein or LDL). Using this peptide-based vaccine, both the Cedars-Sinai group...Fantastic Voyage -- Filled buckeyball now a step closer to becoming a drug-delivery device
...The aim is to attach water-soluble groups "such as peptides or hydrophilic chains, so we can get these molecules into the blood stream." "It is a first step in making drugs," says Dorn. Iezzi and Dorn will present their paper, "Novel derivatives of trimetallic nitride endohedral metallofullerenes for biologi...Buck Institute researcher identifies new drug targets for Alzheimers disease
...te. In Alzheimers Disease, the body produces toxic peptides that accumulate in the brain, forming amyloid plaq... the brain is cut by secretases into smaller toxic peptides that destroy critical brain functions. The chemical elements that "cut" the proteins might be compar...Causes of menstrual migraine explored
...mong the genes most affected by the event were two peptides that influence the activity of the blood vessels and help control pain, Welch said. This points out some networks for pain control in migraine that are disturbed. Its important because it helps us pick out genes that might be candidates for potential......membrane. Wang et al. have found that such fusion peptides are taken up more readily and presented by DC more efficiently than occurs following standard DC ?pulsing? protocols. Now, they show that this quantitative change in tumor antigen presentation correlates with a qualitative improvement in T cell tum...