Category Biology/Biotechnology

Revealing a biological combat strategy worthy of a 5 star general, researchers show how a cell surface receptor can mobilize immune cells to attack, rather than protect, malignant tumors.In most cases, CD4+ T-cells in the immune system, commonly called CD4 or helper T-cells, scan the surface of foreign invaders within the body, including tumor cells, and send out chemical signals to mobilize killer T-cells–which then attack and destroy the threat. However, tumor cells often evade destruction by prompting immature T-cells to become regulatory T-cells, or Tregs. These cells are marked by a protein inside them, Foxp3+, which suppresses the ability of killer T-cells to attack tumors. Protected from the immune system, the tumor can grow unrestrained and spread cancer throughout the body.

Confocal fluorosence microscopy: human aortic smooth muscle cells infected with P. gingivalis

A team has shown a periodontal pathogen causes changes in gene expression that boost inflammation and atherosclerosis in aortic smooth muscle cells. The circumstantial evidence that led to this study was ample. The periodontal pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis, has also been found in coronary artery plaques of heart attack patients. And in 2 species of animal models, P. gingivalis has been shown to cause and accelerate formation of coronary and aortic atherosclerosis.

They began by culturing human aortic smooth muscle cells, and infecting them with P. gingivalis. They found that gingipains, virulence factors produced by P...

The largest nationwide clinical trial to study high-dose resveratrol long-term in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease found that a biomarker that declines when the disease progresses was stabilized in people who took the purified form of resveratrol. Resveratrol is a naturally occurring compound found in foods such as red grapes, raspberries, dark chocolate and some red wines.

The resveratrol clinical trial was a randomized, phase II, placebo-controlled, double blind study in 119 patients with mild to moderate dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. An “investigational new drug” application was required by FDA to test the pure synthetic (pharmaceutical-grade) resveratrol in the study. It is not available commercially in this form...

Brain function associated with higher cardiorespiratory fitness plays a role in increased cognitive performance in older adults, according to a new study. Specifically, the scientists found that dual-task processing in a core executive function brain region is associated with higher cardiorespiratory fitness and dual-task performance.

With fMRI scans in the Beckman Institute’s Biomedical Imaging Center, the researchers found that certain regions of the brain were activated more when performing two simultaneous tasks compared to a single task.

“The reason we looked at dual-task specifically is because it’s a measure of executive function, which is required for multiple cognitive processes, such as working memory, task management, coordination, and 3inhibition,” said Wong...