Category Biology/Biotechnology

Breaking bad: How Shattered Chromosomes make Cancer Cells Drug-Resistant

In this scanning electron micrograph of inside the nucleus of a cancer cell, chromosomes are indicated by blue arrows and circular extra-chromosomal DNA are indicated by orange arrows. Image courtesy of Paul Mischel, UC San Diego.

Scientists describe how a phenomenon known as ‘chromothripsis’ breaks up chromosomes, which then reassemble in ways that ultimately promote cancer cell growth.

In a paper published in the December 23, 2020 online issue of Nature, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and the UC San Diego branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, with colleagues in New York and the United Kingdom, describe how a phenomenon known as “chromothripsis” breaks up chromosomes, which then reassemble in ways that ultimately promote cancer ce...

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New class of Antibiotics active against a Wide Range of Bacteria

Dual-acting immuno-antibiotics block an essential pathway in bacteria and activate the adaptive immune response. Wistar Institute scientists have discovered a new class of compounds that uniquely combine direct antibiotic killing of pan drug-resistant bacterial pathogens with a simultaneous rapid immune response for combatting antimicrobial resistance (AMR). These finding were published today in Nature.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared AMR as one of the top 10 global public health threats against humanity. It is estimated that by 2050, antibiotic-resistant infections could claim 10 million lives each year and impose a cumulative $100 trillion burden on the global economy...

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Anti-Diarrhea Drug drives Cancer cells to Cell Death

In glioblastoma cells, the antidiarrheal drug loperamide triggers the degradation of the endoplasmic reticulum. In the normal state, it is coloured yellow in these microscopic images. In the degradation state, it glows as a red signal (marked with arrows). Left scale bar: 20 µm, right scale bar (inset): 5 µm (Photos: Svenja Zielke et. al.)

In cell culture, loperamide, a drug commonly used against diarrhea, proves effective against glioblastoma cells. A research team has now unraveled the drug’s mechanisms of action of cell death induction and – in doing so – has shown how this compound could help attack brain 7mtumors that otherwise are difficult to treat.

The research group led by Dr Sjoerd van Wijk from the Institute of Experimental Cancer Research in Paediatrics at Goethe Unive...

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Bio-inspired Endoscope provides 3D Visible and Near-Infrared images simultaneously

Researchers developed a new bio-inspired medical endoscope that acquires visible light and near-infrared fluorescence images at the same time. They tested it by imaging three different concentrations of the fluorescent reagent indocyanine green. Images show (a) a near-infrared fluorescence image, (b) the intensity distribution of the near-infrared fluorescence image, (c) color image of the samples under visible illumination, and (d) a fusion image combining the color image and the near-infrared fluorescence image.
Credit: Chenyoung Shi, Chinese Academy of Sciences

New instrument could one day help surgeons more easily pinpoint cancerous tissue...

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