A metabolic imbalance in some cancer patients following treatment with a checkpoint inhibitor drug, nivolumab, is associated with resistance to the immunotherapy agent and shorter survival, report scientists.
Read moreChikungunya is an infectious disease caused by a mosquito-borne virus transmitted to humans. It is characterized by high fever and intense joint and muscle pain that can last for several months. The mechanisms of infection of human cells with the virus remain very poorly understood. Researchers have now identified a protein that is crucial in order for the virus to replicate within its target cells. This research opens up therapeutic avenues in the fight against chikungunya.
Read moreIn the presence of some disruptive elements, cancer cells are unable to replicate its DNA optimally. While known to be linked to the increase in genetic mutations, the exact mechanism at work remained unknown until now. By deciphering how replication stress induces the loss or gain of whole chromosomes in the daughters of cancer cells, researchers provide new knowledge that will ultimately lead to better diagnosis and possibly better treatment of cancer.
Read moreUsing anew method called Net-CAGE, researchers identified as many as 20,000 new enhancers in humans. They found that while promoters are activated in a variety of cell types, enhancers tend to function in just 1 cell type, thus showing an important difference between the 2 types of region.
Read moreA space-age metal that formed part of the asteroid that destroyed the dinosaurs could provide a new method of treating cancer tumors selectively using light.
Read morePeople — or more specifically just Swedes — are more like chimpanzees than previously known. This is indicated in a genetic mapping of one thousand Swedish individuals, where new DNA sequences that should be included in the reference genome have been identified.
Read moreSome colorectal cancer patients with a certain gene mutation benefit from a chemotherapy drug called cetuximab, although the mechanism of how this drug worked was unknown. Scientists have combined computational biology with experimental investigations to discover, for the first time, the mechanism for why these patients respond to cetuximab, which will help doctors identify more effective, targeted treatment plans for people diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
Read moreCancer researchers have identified some promising drug candidates by using high-throughput screening methods to test tens of thousands of molecules.
Read morePTEN, a tumor suppressor gene mutated in about 20% of prostate cancers, relies on another gene, ARID4B, to function.
Read moreIn experiments with mice, researchers have shown they can harness the power of iNKT cells to attack tumor cells and treat cancer. The new method suppressed the growth of multiple types of human tumors that had been transplanted into the animals.
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