Fragile X, Down syndromes linked to faulty brain communication
...A phenomenon called X-inactivation, which randomly silences one member of every X chromosome pair, creates a mosaic of affected and unaffected nerve cells in the brain. In some conditions linked to the X chromosome, such as hemophilia, the normal cells can cover for their useless peers. Not so for an elite ...Promising therapy for ALS delivers antisense drug directly to nervous system
...in called SOD1, and the antisense drug effectively silences the gene that codes for this mutant protein found in the cells of patients with inherited forms of ALS. In this disease, selective killing of spinal cord "motor neurons" occurs. Motor neurons are long and complex nerve cells that control voluntar...Transporter is possible target for safer pain medicine
A transporter that silences one of the body's natural pain killers holds promise for new powerful, non-addictive pain medicines as well as understanding AIDS patients' increased pain perception, researchers say. Opioid peptides are natural pain relievers with receptors first i...Genes and environment interact to promote cancer
...ical change in the brain or body that activates or silences a gene without changing its fundamental genetic code. The chemical or event mobilizes groups of molecules, called methyl or acetyl groups, to attach to the control region of a gene and alter its usual activity. Such stealth changes often occur durin...Used in a new way, RNA interference permanently silences key breast cancer gene
...east cancer development. The technique permanently silences activated STAT3, a crucial gene found in some human breast tumors, thus reducing the cancer's ability to become invasive. The study, presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), used a modified form of RNAi ...