Category Health/Medical

PRC1 (polycomb complex) maintains intestinal homeostasis by repressing the expression of ZICs, a family of transcription factors inactivating the β-catenin/TCF complex. Importantly, interfering with PRC1 activity completely inhibits the formation of Wnt-dependent tumors.

Researchers at the University of Tampere discovered a regulation mechanism governing the intestinal homeostasis. Disturbances in this mechanism are implicated in celiac disease and possibly also in colorectal cancer. The study provides new information on the pathogenesis of the differentiation defect of the epithelium in the small intestine in celiac disease.

In celiac disease, ingested dietary gluten causes intestinal mucosal damage with villus atrophy and crypt hyperplasia...

Schematic of mice with dysfunctional and functional Wnt signaling Source: Alzheimer’s Research UK

Memory loss in mice has been reversed following the discovery of new information about a key mechanism underlying the loss of nerve connectivity in the brain. The team found Wnt proteins play a key role in the maintenance of nerve connectivity in the adult brain and could become targets for new treatments that prevent and restore brain function in neurodegenerative diseases.

Professor Salinas said: “Synapses are absolutely critical to everything that our brains do. When these important communication points are lost, nerve cells cannot exchange information and this leads to symptoms like memory and thinking problems...

Model of a Sclerostin-fragment (green) bound to the antibody AbD09097 (heavy and light chain in cyan and red, respectively; surface representation in grey). Credit: Thomas Mueller

Osteoporosis particularly affects elderly women and the risk of suffering fractures rises. As prophylaxis patients are advised to have a healthy diet and perform physical exercises; when the risk of bone fractures is high, medicine preventing further bone loss is prescribed in addition. Inhibiting protein sclerostin could probably help treating the bone-loss disease osteoporosis. Bone resorption diminishes and bone re-growth is stimulated...

The novel mitochondria-targeted hydrogen sulfide (H2S) donors AP123 and AP39 protect against hyperglycemic injury in microvascular endothelial cells in vitro

A gas known for its noxious qualities could help people with diabetes recover from common heart and blood vessel complications, concludes research led by the University of Exeter Medical School. The research could help pave the way to new treatments for some of the most common complications association with diabetes. Heart problems are a common cause of disability and death in people with diabetes, and are expected to rise still further with increasing rates of obesity. Currently, 79% of the £14 billion spent on treating diabetes in the NHS is spent on treating complications.

People with diabetes have hyperglycaemia which leads to th...