All Articles Tagged As: apoptosis

New clues uncover how 'starvation hormone' works, investigators at UT Southwestern report (1/2/2011)

New findings by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers may solve a 17-year-old mystery about how the so-called "starvation hormone" affects multiple biological systems, including preventing insulin sensitivity and promoting cell survival. ...> Full Article

Pitt study finds NSAIDs cause stem cells to self-destruct, preventing colon cancer (11/2/2010)

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) prevent colon cancer by triggering diseased stem cells to self-destruct, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Their findings, reported in the early online version of this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could lead to new strategies to protect people at high risk for the disease. ...> Full Article

'Reaper' protein strikes at mitochondria to kill cells (10/25/2010)

Many billions of cells in the human body kill themselves every day, as the old and decrepit make way for the new and healthy. This process of programmed cell death, called apoptosis, is crucial in early development and in the routine maintenance of life. New research indicates a technique that could allow for highly efficient, targeted killing of problematic cells such as those that drive the uncontrolled growth of tumors. ...> Full Article

Discovery of a mechanism that controls the expression of a protein involved in numerous cancers (10/22/2010)

Researchers at the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer of the Université de Montréal have identified a new mechanism controlling the transmission of an abnormal signal at the origin of several cancers. In an article published in the journal Cell, Marc Therrien's team explains the recent discovery of a protein complex that controls the RAS/MAPK signalling pathway, responsible for some of the deadliest cancers, including pancreatic, colon and lung cancers, and melanomas. ...> Full Article

Biologists find way to reduce stem cell loss during cancer treatment (9/10/2010)

Biologists at the University of California, San Diego, have discovered that a gene critical for programmed cell death is also important in the loss of adult stem cells, a finding that could help to improve the health and well-being of patients undergoing cancer treatment. ...> Full Article

Researchers discover second protective role for tumor-suppressor (2/25/2010)

ATM, a protein that reacts to DNA damage by ordering repairs or the suicide of the defective cell, plays a similar, previously unknown role in response to oxidative damage outside of the nucleus, researchers report this week in the online version of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. ...> Full Article

Research puts a 'Fas' to the cause of programmed cell death (10/5/2009)

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers have put an end to a 10-year debate over which form of a molecular messenger called Fas ligand is responsible for killing cells during programmed cell death (also called apoptosis). ...> Full Article

Scientists advance understanding of cell death (8/16/2009)

Medical Research Council scientists have made an important advance in understanding the biological processes involved when cells are prompted to die. The work may help scientists to eventually develop new treatments for the many common diseases and conditions which occur when cell death goes wrong. ...> Full Article

Critical link in cell death pathway revealed (7/24/2009)

The role of a protein called XIAP in the regulation of cell death has been identified by Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers and has led them to recommend caution when drugs called IAP inhibitors are used to treat cancer patients with underlying liver conditions. ...> Full Article

Study provides important insight into apoptosis or programmed cell death (7/15/2009)

A team of Nanyang Technological University professors have made an important contribution to the understanding of apoptosis or programmed cell death, a process that cells go through when they die ...> Full Article

Researchers discover a protein that amplifies cell death (1/19/2009)

A potentially new way to kill cancer cells ...> Full Article

Researchers discover 'on switch' for cell death signaling mechanism (1/10/2009)

Scientists at Burnham Institute for Medical Research have determined the structure of the interactions between proteins that form the heart of the death inducing signaling complex, which is responsible for triggering apoptosis, or programmed cell death. ...> Full Article

Grape-seed extract kills laboratory leukemia cells, proving value of natural compounds (1/1/2009)

An extract from grape seeds forces laboratory leukemia cells to commit cell suicide, according to researchers from the University of Kentucky. They found that within 24 hours, 76 percent of leukemia cells had died after being exposed to the extract. ...> Full Article

By amplifying cell death signals, scientists make precancerous cells self-destruct (8/18/2008)

Scientists have figured out a way in mice to amplify the signals that tell precancerous cells to die. The trick: Inactivating a protein that normally helps cells to avoid self-destruction. ...> Full Article

Novel structure proteins could play a role in apoptosis (7/27/2008)

Isoforms from Novel Structure Proteins (NSP), a new family of genes discovered by researchers could be involved in apoptosis or programmed cell death. ...> Full Article

Manipulation of molecule protects intestinal cells from radiation (6/5/2008)

A new study identifies a signaling molecule that plays a major role in radiation-induced intestinal damage ...> Full Article

A promising tumor gene therapeutic target: tMK (5/23/2008)

Midkine (MK), a heparin-binding growth factor, and its truncated form (tMK) are expressed at higher levels in various malignant tumors ...> Full Article

Researchers find key step in programmed cell death (3/6/2008)

The discovery provides insight into how certain proteins, including Hax1, work and how they control the process of apoptosis ...> Full Article

Bak Protein Sets Stressed Cells On Suicide Path (7/18/2007)

When a cell is seriously stressed, say by a heart attack, stroke or cancer, a protein called Bak just may set it up for suicide, researchers have found. ...> Full Article

Scientists Follow Familiar 'TRAIL' To New Cancer Therapy (7/13/2007)

A new study identifies a combination therapy that may sensitize human cancer cells to a promising treatment currently being used in clinical trials. The research, published in the July issue of the journal Cancer Cell, published by Cell Press, provides a pharmacological method for enhancing the potency and effectiveness of a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) death receptor ligand against a variety of human cancers. ...> Full Article

Cells Re-energize To Come Back From The Brink Of Death (6/7/2007)

The discovery of how some abnormal cells can avoid a biochemical program of self-destruction by increasing their energy level and repairing the damage, is giving investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital insights into a key strategy cancer cells use to survive and thrive. ...> Full Article

Preventing Cancer Without Killing Cells (4/2/2007)

Inducing senescence in aged cells may be sufficient to guard against spontaneous cancer development, according to a paper published online this week in EMBO reports. It was previously unknown whether cellular senescence or programmed cell death -- apoptosis -- was the more important safeguard mechanism for suppressing tumours arising from dysfunctional telomeres. ...> Full Article

Ingredient in jalapeno pepper kills cancer cells (1/10/2007)

Researchers with Nottingham University in the UK have discovered that capsaicin, an ingredient of jalapeno peppers, triggers programmed cancer cell death by attacking mitochondria. ...> Full Article

Cancer suicide switch (8/28/2006)

Cancer Researchers from the University of Illinois created a synthetic molecule which caused cancer cells to self-destruct. All cells in the body have a suicide-switch, but unlike healthy cells, cancerous cells seem to ignore the signals that tell a cell to implode. ...> Full Article