news archive genetic news - January 24, 2008

January 24, 2008

your information resource in human molecular genetics

-	Sleep Provides A Window Into Memory Patterns of brain activity while awake can shape the formation of their neuron connections during sleep.
-	A Stem Cell-Based Therapy To Treat Muscular Dystrophy A new way to manipulate embryonic stem cells (ESCs) in mice offers hope for an eventual cell-based therapy to treat muscular dystrophies, suggests a paper online.
-	To Mend A Failing Heart A method to create an artificial heart using the remains of an actual full-sized adult heart that has been stripped of all its cells, but then replanted with neonatal heart cells, may hold promise for its eventual use in transplant surgery.
-	Seeing How Viruses Encounter Immune Cells Study uncovers a surprising answer that may help to create effective anti-viral vaccines.
-	Genetic Variants Associated With Susceptibility To Lupus Newly discovered genetic variants in at least six different regions of the genome are associated with increased risk of developing lupus.
-	Genetics Of Height And Bone Disease Variants on a genetic locus related to osteoarthritis also affect the height of an individual, according to research.
-	Seven Novel Loci For Plasma Lipid Levels Three new genome-wide association studies report seven novel genes or loci associated with lipid levels.
-	Receptor Signalling In Pairs Scientists have discovered new information about the way that small molecules cause cell signalling.
-	Transmitting HIV Through T Cell Nanotubes Membrane nanotubes formed by contact between immune T-cells significantly increase transmission efficiency of HIV between infected and uninfected cells.
-	RNA And Tumour Suppression Researchers identify a candidate tumour suppressor gene for the deletions on chromosome 5q that are associated with certain blood-cell-production diseases.
-	Identifying Skin Cancer Starter Cells Cells that initiate human skin cancer are identified.
-	Tethering HIV An antiviral molecule called a 'tetherin' that acts to inhibit HIV-1 particle release from cells is identified.
-	Suppressing A Leukaemia Suppressor The expression of genes that help to limit the growth of normal cells can sometimes be turned down in cancer, causing cells to divide uncontrollably - hence their branding as 'tumour suppressor' genes.
-	MicroRNAs That Reduce Metastasis Restoring the expression of certain microRNAs (miRNAs) that are lost as breast cancer starts to metastasize suppresses the spread of the cancer