news archive genetic news - February 21, 2008

February 21, 2008

your information resource in human molecular genetics

-	Treatment-Resistant Depression Might Be In The Genes Variation in the gene coding for the potassium channel TREK1 may explain why some patients with depression do not respond to commonly prescribed antidepressants.
-	Reversing Impaired Brain Function In Diabetes An increase in the stress hormone corticosterone that is caused by diabetes leads to deficits in the birth of new neurons and memory formation in rodents.
-	DNA Proves Its Potential The electrical conductivity of an individual DNA molecule can be measured by wiring it into a nanoscale circuit.
-	How HIV Ravages Gut Immune Cells The specific interaction between HIV and gut-associated immune cells, which may promote the depletion of cells and the virus' devastating attack on the immune system, is reported.
-	New Syndrome Of Mental Retardation And Epilepsy Identified A new syndrome characterized by mental retardation, epilepsy, and facial and digital abnormalities is associated with a small deletion on chromosome 15.
-	Genome-Wide View Of Prostate Cancer Risk At least ten newly identified genetic variants are associated with increased susceptibility to prostate cancer, according to three studies to be published online.
-	Renewable Cell Therapy For Diabetes Inches Closer Researchers have converted human embryonic stem (ES) cells into cells that release insulin in response to glucose and alleviate a diabetes-like condition in mice.
-	BRCA2 And Resistance To Therapy Scientists have gained new insight into how changes in BRCA2 can affect a cancer's resistance to therapy.
-	Defining An Anti-HIV Protein Understanding the structure of proteins involved in inhibiting HIV-1 infection could help in the battle against the disease.
-	Sugars Regulate Insulin Signalling An enzyme known to attach sugar to proteins in cells is revealed to have a role in insulin resistance in mice.
-	Interpreting Our Past From Genomic Information Two papers delve into the rapidly expanding databank to produce new nuggets of information to reconstruct our genetic history.
-	Insight Into Brains Damaged By Multiple Sclerosis An online paper describes an approach that homes in on two potential therapeutic targets for multiple sclerosis.
-	Gene Variants Protect Against Depression Corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor variants offer protection against adult depression following early-life stress.