Weak Link In Cancer Cell Armor Identified Nov 14, 2009
Researchers at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine have discovered that inactivation of a DNA repair gene called Hus1 efficiently kills cells lacking p53 -- a gene mutated in the majority of human cancers. See Also. (Science Daily)
Cornell researchers identify a weak link in cancer cell armor Nov 13, 2009
Researchers at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine have discovered that inactivation of a DNA repair gene called Hus1 efficiently kills cells lacking p53 -- a gene mutated in the majority of human cancers. Using a mouse model, senior author Robert Weiss, associate professor of molecular genetics, first author and graduate student Stephanie Yazinski and colleagues explored how cells respond when both genes are inhibited. (EurekAlert!)
Survival Of The Healthiest: Selective Eradication Of Malignant Cells Nov 6, 2009
Other PARP inhibitors were recently proved efficient only for treating relatively rare hereditary human cancers developed in individuals with an impaired DNA repair (BRCA gene mutation). However, in the current research, breast cancer cells lacking the BRCA mutation were efficiently eradicated. (Science Daily)
Former Genzyme executive joins cancer diagnostic business Nov 3, 2009
But in the spring, Aspinall quickly wound up arranging a merger with a Cambridge diagnostic company, DNA Repair Co., to form On-Q-ity. Prior to the merger, the companies had raised about $30 million, but this is the first fund-raising round for the combined firm. (Boston Globe)
PhotoMedex raises $2.7M in stock sale Oct 24, 2009
PhotoMedex also develops and markets products based on DNA repair for skin health, hair care and wound care. Most Read Stories. (Philadelphia Business Journal, PA)
Single-stranded DNA-binding protein is dynamic, critical to DNA repair Oct 22, 2009
University of Illinois physics professor Taekjip Ha and his colleagues found that the SSB protein travels along single-stranded DNA, regulating other proteins needed for DNA repair, replication and recombination ... In a series of experiments, the researchers showed that SSB diffuses randomly back and forth along single-stranded DNA, and that this movement is independent of the sequence of nucleotides that make up the DNA. They also found that an important DNA repair protein in E. coli, RecA,... (EurekAlert!)
Characterization of the oxidative stress stimulon and PerR regulon of Campylobacter jejuni Oct 19, 2009
An analysis of changes in the transcriptome induced by exposure to H2O2, cumene hydroperoxide, or menadione revealed differential expression of genes belonging to a variety of biological pathways, including classical oxidative stress defense systems, heat shock response, DNA repair and metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis, and multidrug efflux pumps. Mutagenic and phenotypic studies of the superoxide dismutase SodB, the alkyl-hydroxyperoxidase AhpC, and the catalase KatA, revealed a role for... (BioMed Central)
Researchers Identify Workings Of L-form Bacteria Oct 16, 2009
Mutants that showed complete lack of L-form growth belonged to pathways related to cell envelope stress, DNA repair, iron regulation and outer membrane biogenesis. The mutants could be restored to L-form growth by their respective wild type genes, confirming their role in L-form formation or survival. (Science Daily)
Nobel in Medicine Goes to 3 Americans Oct 6, 2009
Discovery of Cellular Mechanism in DNA Repair Inspired New Research in Cancer and Other Illnesses. Font size. (CBS News)
Scientists Decipher Missing Piece Of First-responder DNA Repair Machine Oct 3, 2009
It then stops the cell from dividing and launches an error-free DNA repair process called homologous recombination, which replaces defective genes ... Unfortunately, MRN s laser-like focus on DNA repair means that it also mends broken DNA in cancerous cells ... (DNA repair is so essential to life that many of the molecular machines that perform it have changed little throughout evolution). (Science Daily)
White House to give MIT scientist top honor Sep 18, 2009
On Oct. 7, Stubbe will travel to the White House to receive the National Medal of Science, which honors her work over the past four decades studying enzymes that are critical for DNA repair and replication. Her work has led to a cancer drug, gemcitabine, used for pancreatic cancer and non-small-cell lung carcinomas. (Boston Globe)
* Some researchers seeking a stalemate, not a cure, for cancer Aug 30, 2009
For example, to cope with toxic drugs, a cancer cell may increase its rate of DNA repair, or actively pump the drug out across the cell membrane. In targeted therapies, in which drugs interfere with the molecular signaling needed for proliferation and survival, a cell might adapt by activating or following alternative pathways. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- Business)
Gene Assay To Help To Predict Lung Cancer Treatment Resistance Aug 28, 2009
Cree said, "The genes identified in this study fall into several categories, linked with much studied mechanisms such as metabolism within the cell, membrane drug pumps, and DNA repair, but also with apoptosis, suggesting that the general susceptibility of the cell to undergo this process may be an important determinant of tumor chemosensitivity, outweighing more specific mechanisms". Journal reference. (Science Daily)
Hope for individualized lung chemotherapy Aug 27, 2009
For instance, docetaxel activity showed some dependence on the expression of drug pumps, while cisplatin activity showed some dependence on DNA repair enzyme expression. Activity of both drugs was influenced more strongly still by the expression of anti- and pro-apoptotic genes by the tumor for both docetaxel and cisplatin. (BioMed Central)
Protein plays unexpected role protecting chromosome tips Aug 14, 2009
HOUSTON - A protein specialist that opens the genomic door for DNA repair and gene expression also turns out to be a multi-tasking workhorse that protects the tips of chromosomes and dabbles in a protein-destruction complex, a team lead by researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reports in the Aug. 13 edition of Molecular Cell ... Chromatin is a condensed structure that forms a natural barrier inhibiting access to DNA. Gcn5 was previously known for its role in a... (EurekAlert!)
Protein complex key in avoiding DNA repair mistakes, cancer Aug 5, 2009
As the body creates antibodies to fight invaders, a three-protein DNA repair complex called MRN is crucial for a normal gene-shuffling process to proceed properly, University of Michigan research shows. The discoveries in mice, published online this week in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, advance understanding of the immune system and shed light on how B-cell lymphoma and some other cancers may begin. (EurekAlert!)
Stem cell 'daughters' lead to breast cancer Aug 3, 2009
"Usually, luminal progenitor cells multiply rapidly in the presence of certain growth factors. In BRCA1 women these cells don't even require growth factors to proliferate they misbehave from the outset. "We also know that the BRCA1 gene is required for normal DNA repair. There may therefore be a triple whammy effect faulty growth control, faulty DNA repair and expanded luminal progenitor cell numbers ultimately resulting in breast cancer in some BRCA1 mutation carriers. (EurekAlert!)
New Molecular Pathway For Targeting Cancer, Disease Discovered Jul 28, 2009
(May 20, 2009) In patients with Fanconi anaemia (FA), one of the DNA repair mechanisms that normally protects us against cancer no longer works adequately. A Dutch researcher set out to find the genes responsible. (Science Daily)
DNA Repair Mechanisms Jul 20, 2009
Mismatch Repair and Base Excision. DNA damage and mismatched nucleotides introduced during replication are recognized and removed by the cell machinery. (Suite101.com)
New information about DNA repair mechanism could lead to better cancer drugs Jul 17, 2009
"Many chemotherapeutic agents work by causing DNA damage in cancer cells, leading to their death, and tumors can become resistant to chemotherapy by using DNA repair mechanisms to keep the cells alive. Drugs that inhibit the DNA repair process could help increase the efficiency of chemotherapeutic agents." ... Because they now know more precisely the nature of this interaction between Srs2 and Rad51, the researchers can narrow their search for drugs that will block DNA repair by Rad51 ... "We... (EurekAlert!)
Methane-producing Molecule Can Also Repair DNA Jul 4, 2009
A research group working with Professor Thomas Carell, however, has now shown that this cofactor is also common in eukaryotes, where it performs an entirely different function: deazaflavin is involved in DNA repair processes ... As the researchers were able to demonstrate, the cofactor is involved in DNA repair processes ... It has long been suspected that these crucial enzymes require yet another cofactor to provide the energy that DNA repair requires. (Science Daily)
Genetically engineered mice yield clues to 'knocking out' cancer Jul 2, 2009
That's the conclusion of a recent study* in DNA Repair by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) and the New York University School of Medicine (NYUSM) ... In humans, DNA repair genes produce enzymes called DNA glycosylases that excise sections of DNA strands already modified by oxidative stress, and thus protect the genetic material ... The gene produces a DNA repair protein, NEIL1 that is nearly identical in humans... (EurekAlert!)
New Cancer Drug Fights Tumors in Those with BRCA Mutations Jun 26, 2009
Olaparib works differently than other cancer drugs in that it blocks Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), a protein involved in DNA repair. Healthy cells use PARP to repair themselves, but cancer cells do the same, the scientists explained. (MEDLINEplus)
New Research Unravels How Proteins Help Repair DNA Jun 24, 2009
The study was conducted using a DNA repair system operated in E. coli, but the findings are applicable to other cells because they adopt similar systems. To study the processes, the U of A team developed an advanced bio-analytical technique that enables dynamic monitoring of bio-molecular interactions. (Science Daily)
BRIT1 allows DNA repair teams access to damaged sites Jun 20, 2009
"Relaxing this barrier allows two different DNA repair pathways greater access to the damage, preventing flawed DNA from being passed on as the cell divides, which causes genomic instability leading to cancer," said senior author Shiaw-Yih Lin, Ph ... ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling is a fundamental mechanism used by cells to relax chromatin in DNA repair, but the detailed molecular mechanism by which it is recruited to DNA lesions in response to damage signaling has been largely unknown ...... (EurekAlert!)
Enhancing The Effects Of Platinum-based Anti-cancer Drugs Jun 3, 2009
However, the utility of these drugs is often limited by the enhanced ability of cancer cells to repair their DNA. As the MRN protein complex, which contains the protein RAD50, has a key role in the molecular pathways that control DNA repair in human cells, Li and colleagues set out to test the hypothesis that attenuating the function of the MRN protein complex might sensitize cancer cells to the effects of cisplatin. The hypothesis was proven using a genetic approach to disrupt MRN function. (Science Daily)
Sanofi's Viebacher Lands Cancer Drug by Paying $500 Million for 18 People Jun 1, 2009
The PARP inhibitor method of blocking DNA repair may also work against other cancers and might reduce the amount of chemotherapy needed to treat a variety of patients, Sanofis Chew said ... This is the forefront of a field that is about to open up, about DNA repair. (Bloomberg -- US)
Centocor Ortho Biotech Data to be Presented at American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting May 29, 2009
Trabectedin binds to the minor groove of DNA, interfering with cell division and genetic transcription processes and DNA repair machinery. Trabectedin is currently in Phase 3 development in ovarian cancer and to expand its uses in sarcoma. (PR Newswire)
New Target To Combat Cancer? Defects In Pathway Underlying Fanconi Anaemia Can Cause Cancer In Non-FA Patients May 21, 2009
ScienceDaily (May 20, 2009) In patients with Fanconi anaemia (FA) one of the DNA repair mechanisms that normally protects us against cancer no longer works adequately. Dutch researcher Najim Ameziane set out to find the genes responsible for this defect. (Science Daily)
Closer To An Effective Treatment For Gum Disease In Smokers May 14, 2009
Several genes of P. gingivalis associated with its virulence (infectivity), detoxification, oxidative stress mechanisms and DNA repair are altered by exposure to cigarette smoke. As a result, the expression of a number of the proteins in the cell membrane is changed. (Science Daily)
She'll race back to lab to look for cure May 9, 2009
She explained that the BRCA mutations cause cells to use an alternative method of DNA repair that makes errors, which in turn lead to cancer. ABT-888 targets the polymerase, or PARP, family of enzymes responsible for a wide variety of processes in cancer cells. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Stop-gap DNA Repair Needs A Second Step May 6, 2009
Now a Weizmann Institute study has revealed that it takes two to perform an essential form of DNA repair ... Zvi Livneh of the Weizmann Institute s Biological Chemistry Department has been studying DNA repair for some two decades: Considering that the DNA of each cell is damaged about 20,000 times a day by radiation, pollutants and harmful chemicals produced within the body, it s obvious that without effective DNA repair, life as we know it could not exist ... Understanding how this major form... (Science Daily)
Lithium may help radiation target cancer, spare healthy tissue May 5, 2009
D., and colleagues show that lithium promotes DNA repair in healthy cells but not in brain tumor cells ... Xia, whose lab studies the mechanisms of DNA repair in normal cells and tumor cells, suspected that lithium might affect how DNA is repaired following radiation-induced damage ... D., Xia and colleagues examined DNA repair in lithium-treated mouse hippocampal neurons exposed to radiation. (EurekAlert!)
Upside-down World: DNA Protecting Protein Helps Cancer Drug To Kill Cells Apr 30, 2009
29, 2009) Some DNA repair enzymes can become double-edged swords If they work too slowly, they can block necessary cell maintenance and contribute to cell death ... They wondered how a DNA repair enzyme could change the tolerance of cells to chemotherapy ... (July 5, 2004) Biochemists at Duke University Medical Center have discovered key components that enable the cell's DNA repair machinery to adeptly launch its action in either direction along a DNA strand to. (Science Daily)
Mimicry At Molecular Level Protects Genome Integrity Apr 16, 2009
The new study, published in the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, draws new parallels between the Rad60 DNA repair factor and SUMO, a small ubiquitin-like modifier, which are both essential for maintaining genome stability during replication ... To ensure the high-fidelity completion of replication, cells engage critical mechanisms that include cell cycle checkpoints and DNA repair ... The fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) DNA repair protein Rad60, part of a unique protein... (Science Daily)
Sanofi Buys U.S. Cancer Firm for up to $500 Million Apr 15, 2009
BiPar is developing tumor-selective cancer treatments in the emerging field of DNA repair. The idea is to prevent cancer cells from repairing their own DNA, causing them to die. (ABC News -- Wire)
Scripps scientists uncover mimicry at the molecular level that protects genome integrity Apr 14, 2009
The new study, which was published on April 12, 2009, in an advanced online edition of the journal Nature Structural ular Biology, draws new parallels between the Rad60 DNA repair factor and SUMO, a small ubiquitin-like modifier, which are both essential for maintaining genome stability during replication ... To ensure the high-fidelity completion of replication, cells engage critical mechanisms that include cell cycle checkpoints and DNA repair ... The fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe)... (EurekAlert!)
CSHL-led team identifies key decision-point at which cells with broken DNA repair themselves or die Apr 11, 2009
This led to the experiments in which Tonks' team showed that Eyes Absent was in fact the protein that removed the critical phosphate group from the end of histone H2A.X, thereby allowing the formation of the so-called gamma-H2A.X foci, which set DNA repair in motion when double strands were broken ... It remains unclear if or how the role of Eyes Absent in the DNA repair machinery -- in other words, its role as a tyrosine phosphatase, or remover of phosphate molecules -- is related to its role,... (EurekAlert!)
Scripps research scientists model 3D structures of proteins that control human clock Apr 11, 2009
In addition to Getzoff and Hitomi, authors of the paper, "Functional motifs in the (6-4) photolyase crystal structure make a comparative framework for DNA repair photolyases and clock cryptochromes," include Luciano DiTacchio and Satchidananda Panda (a former Scripps graduate student) of the Salk Institute, Junpei Yamamoto and Shigenori Iwai of Osaka University, Sang-Tae Kim and Takeshi Todo of Kyoto University, and Andrew S. Arvai and John A. Tainer of Scripps Research. For more information,... (EurekAlert!)
Learn How to Parent Your Baby's DNA During Pregnancy Apr 5, 2009
"Every day environmental toxins, smoke or sun exposure can damage DNA in our bodies and it is very important for a pregnant mother to help her baby repair this damage by eating foods that strengthen DNA repair mechanisms." said Bolvary. Fueled by the realisation that important discoveries in genetic research that can greatly benefit expecting parents and their babies are not readily published by the mainstream media, Jeanette launched the "Epigenome website for expecting mums and dads". (Yahoo News -- Press Releases)
DNA Repair Mechanisms Relocate In Response To Stress Apr 2, 2009
1, 2009) Like doctors making house calls, some DNA repair enzymes can relocate to the part of the cell that needs their help, a collaborative team of scientists at Emory University School of Medicine has found ... The finding could lead to new targets for anti-cancer drugs that interfere with DNA repair, says Paul Doetsch, PhD, professor of biochemistry, radiation oncology, and hematology and oncology at Emory University School of Medicine ... The journal's editors chose an image of yeast cells... (Science Daily)
New Protein Important In Breast Cancer Gene's Role In DNA Repair Identified Mar 29, 2009
Now, a new study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine has identified genes associated with the BRCA1 protein and their involvement in the DNA repair pathway, helping to clear the way for researchers to better understand what goes wrong when the BRCA1 gene is mutated and the repair pathway goes haywire ... Previous studies have shown that mutated BRCA1-associated proteins also increase the risk of breast cancer, implying that a BRCA1-centered DNA repair pathway is necessary to... (Science Daily)
DNA Variations May Alter Risk of Hodgkin's Disease Mar 11, 2009
Researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston found the association based on their analysis of variants in five DNA repair genes (XPC, XPD, XPG, XRCC1, and XRCC3) in 420 people, about half of whom had Hodgkin's disease, a type of lymphoma ... Previous studies have linked reduced DNA repair in people to susceptibility to certain cancers, including breast, colon and lung cancer ... "These data suggest that genetic polymorphisms in DNA repair genes may modify the... (MEDLINEplus)
DNA differences may influence risk of Hodgkin disease Mar 9, 2009
Researchers have found that, in the general population, there are variations in the genes that encode these DNA repair proteins. Research has also shown a link between reduced DNA repair and susceptibility to a variety of cancers, including breast, colon, and lung cancer ... To determine the potential role of genetic variantsor polymorphismsin DNA repair genes in the development of Hodgkin disease, Dr. Randa El-Zein and colleagues at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in... (EurekAlert!)
New Gene Associated With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Identified Mar 4, 2009
Two papers, published in the February 27 edition of Science, report mutations in FUS/TLS, a gene known to play a role in DNA repair and the regulation of gene expression. The mutations affect the behavior of the FUS/TLS protein within cells and lead to deposits of abnormal protein within motor neurons. (Science Daily)
Engineered Viruses Combat Antibiotic Resistance Mar 3, 2009
The engineered viruses described in the PNAS paper attack the SOS system, a bacterial DNA repair system enlisted when bacteria are exposed to antibiotics that damage DNA, and other gene networks. Used in conjunction with traditional antibiotics, the viruses undermine bacterial defense systems and prevent resistance from developing. (Science Daily)
Male Infertility Tied to Testicular Cancer Risk Feb 25, 2009
These common causes may include environmental factors or faulty DNA repair (errors in the way the body responds to small areas of damage in its genetic material). Testicular germ cell cancer is the most common cause of cancer among young men in industrialized countries, and has become more prevalent during the past 30 to 50, years according to background information in the study. (MEDLINEplus)
Male Infertility Associated With Testicular Cancer Feb 25, 2009
Faulty DNA repair, or errors in the way the body responds to small areas of damage in its genetic material, may contribute to both conditions, as may environmental factors. This study was funded by grants from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the California Urology Foundation. (Science Daily)
Study: male infertility associated with testicular cancer Feb 24, 2009
Faulty DNA repair, or errors in the way the body responds to small areas of damage in its genetic material, may contribute to both conditions, as may environmental factors. Editor: Yan. (Xinhuanet, China)
Study finds infertility link to testicular cancer Feb 24, 2009
"Prior work ... suggests that certain severe forms of male infertility are associated with faulty DNA repair," which is also associated with the development of tumors. " In addition, they said, other research has suggested an interplay involving both genetics and environmental factors. During the last 30 to 50 years, the researchers said, there has been a notable and continued increase in the incidence of testicular germ cell cancers among men, especially in Scandinavian countries. "During the... (Reuters)
Enhanced skin cancer risk linked to defects in cellular aging controls Feb 23, 2009
This study establishes a link between telomere dysfunction, cancer progression and the dysfunction of DNA repair mechanisms in XP patients. Understanding the pathways which control cell regeneration and cancer progression in these patients will not only aid in treatments for XP patients, but can likewise provide clues on how to target and better treat other cases of skin cancer. (EurekAlert!)
How Cells Handle Broken Chromosomes Feb 18, 2009
Their unexpected findings have important implications for the understanding of DNA repair mechanisms ... Therefore, cells have evolved elaborate DNA repair systems that are fundamental for human health ... Therefore, this finding has important implications for the understanding of DNA repair by homologous recombination. (Science Daily)
Nature Reviews Neuroscience Feb 8, 2009
DNA repair pathways are essential for normal nervous system development and function. McKinnon reviews the mechanisms of DNA damage and repair in the nervous system and how deficits in these pathways cause specific neuropathological symptoms. (Nature News Service)
Targeted Therapy for Advanced Colorectal Cancer — More Is Not Always Better Feb 8, 2009
Since 1996, three new cytotoxic drugs capecitabine (an oral fluoropyrimidine), irinotecan (a topoisomerase I inhibitor that blocks DNA repair), and oxaliplatin (an inhibitor of DNA replication and possibly a down-regulator of the expression of thymidylate synthase) have been introduced into clinical. . (New England Journal of Medicine)
Nature Cell Biology Feb 8, 2009
DNA repair kinases ATM/ATR check spindle assembly. Double-strand breaks in DNA activate the kinases ATM and ATR, which block entry into mitosis. (Nature News Service)
Human DNA Repair Process Recorded In Action Feb 7, 2009
In 2006, the researchers recorded a portion of the bacterial DNA repair process, a system considerably less complex than its human counterpart ... This schematic depicts molecules of the DNA repair protein, Rad51(green ovals), assembling into a filament on an optically trapped DNA molecule. (Science Daily)
