News & Reviews Archives | Page 31 of 38

HDAC inhibitor and epigenetic effects on memory

HDAC Inhibitor Could Sharpen Memory and Treat Cancer

December 1, 2015 Bailey Kirkpatrick

New research has found that a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor drug used to treat cancer could also help sharpen memory and improve one’s ability to learn a new language. It could even help rewire the brain and sustain neurons which could be of benefit to those suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia. Researchers from Rutgers published a study in the Journal of Neuroscience that investigated a cancer treatment drug, RGFP966, and found that it had other positive effects that were previously [more…]

Mothers can transfer DNA methylation marks from lead exposure to grandchildren

Moms Exposed to Lead May Impact DNA Methylation of Her Children and Grandchildren

November 24, 2015 Bailey Kirkpatrick

Evidence supporting multigenerational epigenetic inheritance continues to mount as a group of researchers discover that mothers who have a significant amount of lead present in their blood can epigenetically impact not only their unborn children, but their grandchildren as well. The study was published in Scientific Reports. It is well known that children in the womb can be impacted by small amounts of exposure to lead. If a woman is pregnant and exposed to lead, it can harm the baby [more…]

Researchers Reveal Why Some Cancers Override HDAC Inhibitor Drugs

November 10, 2015 Bailey Kirkpatrick

UK scientists from The University of Birmingham have discovered how certain cancer cells can adapt and render cancer drugs ineffective. These drugs, known as histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, are designed to disrupt cancer cells’ genetic controls. Their research, published in Epigenetics and Chromatin, may help create new therapies focused on preventing tumors from overcoming HDAC inhibitors (HDACi). Genes can be switched on or off via molecular tags that attach to DNA and transfer signals to tell the cell how to [more…]

Epigenetic Histone Modifications Could Lead to new Cancer Treatment

Targeting Epigenetics and Metabolism to Prevent Cancer Growth

October 27, 2015 Bailey Kirkpatrick

New research has helped to clear up the function of a well-known tumor suppressor gene, RB, which prevents aberrant cell growth. Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona have found that pRb, or retinoblastoma protein, is a tumor suppressing protein encoded by RB that maintains proper functioning of a cell’s metabolism. By epigenetically modifying histones, pRb works to control tumor cell growth. The study was published in Genes and Development. Tumor suppressor proteins [more…]

DNA damage and histone modifications on DNA

Epigenetic Study of Histone Modifications and DNA Damage Could Lead to New Cancer Treatments

October 13, 2015 Bailey Kirkpatrick

DNA damage occurs frequently to cells as a result of normal cellular processes, but one of the worst genetic malfunctions that can occur is DNA double-strand breaks, or DSBs. This can lead to cancer and increased resistance to cancer therapy. New research from scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported their findings regarding histone modifications, the cause of DNA double-strand breaks, and possible ways they can be fixed. Their research was published in Nature Cell Biology. [more…]

A Review of the Epigenetics Course: Epigenetic Control of Gene Expression

October 6, 2015 Natalie Crowley

Perhaps it’s just the American in me, but why does everything seem more appealing when told in an Australian accent? Ok, that wasn’t entirely the reason why I stuck it out for nearly eight weeks to take an online course about epigenetics offered by the University of Melbourne. The truth is, it was interesting, I learned a lot, and despite the fact that it crept into my summer free time, I actually liked it. I’ve never taken any online course, [more…]

Histone deacetylation epigenetically turns cells that protect cancer into ones that kill cancer

Histone Deacetylation Turns Cancer-Protecting Cells into Cancer-Killing Cells

September 29, 2015 Bailey Kirkpatrick

A significant advancement in cancer research was presented in a recent study conducted by scientists from Cornell University, University of Chicago, and Houston Methodist Hospital. The researchers demonstrated that a specific protein known as a cell surface receptor can cause immune cells to attack malignant tumors as opposed to protecting them via an epigenetic mechanism known as histone deacetylation. The research was published in Nature Communications. CD4+ T-cells, also known as CD4 or helper T-cells, are crucial to the immune [more…]

DNA methylation and bisulfite conversion affect oil palm fruit production

DNA Methylation and ‘Bad Karma’ To Blame for Oil Palm Trees’ Useless Fruit

September 22, 2015 Bailey Kirkpatrick

“Bad karma” and epigenetics are to blame for the spoiling of tens of thousands of young oil palms grown at large plantations in Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia, according to a group of researchers at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Not only have millions of dollars been wasted on these plants, also known as African oil palm or Elaeis guineensis, but the tropical environment has suffered as a result of some faulty epigenetic machinery. Researchers utilized bisulfite conversion and microarrays to [more…]

Short-Term Sleep Loss Alters DNA Methylation of Clock Genes

September 15, 2015 Bailey Kirkpatrick

Sleep is crucial to our well-being and helps in the process of learning and memory formation. Without proper sleep we can feel moody, irritable, and have difficulty solving problems. We can even be less creative when we don’t get enough sleep. Now, research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism is showing us that just one night of poor sleep can lead to epigenetic changes to our DNA, specifically to our “clock genes” which control our circadian clock. [more…]

Histone Modifications could Reverse Aging

Histone Modifications and Epigenetic Regulation Could Hold the Key to Reversing Aging

September 8, 2015 Bailey Kirkpatrick

Epigenetics has numerous connections to the process of aging, research hinting at the association between longevity and factors such as transcriptome length and DNA methylation patterns. Clearly, understanding the molecular controls of aging proves to be an intriguing endeavor as we try to interpret the clues of how we might slow down and perhaps even reverse aging. Although research has a long way to go before we can expect anything akin to a fountain of youth, studies are offering new [more…]

« 1 … 29 30 31 32 33 … 38 »

If you like reading our articles…