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【bio-news】科学家发现脑“自我防御”开关
Scientists spot brain's self-defense 'switch'
Posted 10/19/2006 3:21 PM ET E-mail | Save | Print | Subscribe to stories like this
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
U.S. researchers say they've spotted a protein that switches on the brain's natural antioxidant defense system.
This system protects brain cells from toxic free radicals, a waste product of cell metabolism linked to aging and a number of health problems, including heart attack, stroke and cancer, says a team from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
Experts believe that some brain diseases involve a failure of its antioxidant defense system. In research with rodents, the Boston group found that the regulatory protein PGC-1a switches on the brain's anti-oxidant defense system when free radicals begin to accumulate.
In another experiment, the scientists found that turning on PGC-1a to high levels in laboratory-cultured human and mouse brain cells protected the cells against nerve toxins.
The findings are published in the Oct. 20 issue of the journal Cell.
The study authors said their findings suggest that it may be possible to develop drugs to boost the antioxidant system in the brain in order to treat diseases such as Parkinson's, Huntington's, and Alzheimer's.
They are currently testing compounds to find which ones may spur PGC-1a expression in brain cells.
Study: Could personality influence cancer risk?
A new study in rats suggests a link between personality and cancer susceptibility.
Researchers at the University of Chicago say timid rats were more likely to develop cancer and to die sooner than more "adventuresome" rats. The findings suggest the need to examine the links between behavior traits and cancer in humans, the team said.
For this study, the Chicago group used a breed of rats prone to breast and pituitary tumors. Female rats that appeared apprehensive of new experiences as infants remained that way as they grew older. They also died earlier of breast and pituitary tumors than their braver sisters.
The more timid rats were also more likely to have irregular reproductive cycles than the tougher rats — 52% vs. 22%. This disruption may account for hormonal differences associated with the development of cancer at an earlier age, the researchers speculated.
By the time they were 390 days old (middle age for rats), 80% of the timid rats had developed mammary cancer, compared with 38% of the bolder rats. The timid rats had an average life span of 573 days, compared to 850 for the more adventuresome rodents.
There was no difference between the two groups in the length of time between the onset of cancer and death.
The study was published in the current issue of Hormones and Behavior.
The findings suggest that more research is needed into temperament and cancer risk in humans, the study authors said. Most current research into cancer and personality focuses on survival once a person has already been diagnosed with cancer.
"Human studies may need to consider more basic behavior traits than those already considered," researcher Martha McClintock, a professor of psychology, said in a prepared statement. 我认领了。 科学家发现大脑的自我防御“开关”
发表10/19/2006 3:21 PM ET
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay罗伯特普瑞的特，《健康日报》
U.S. researchers say they've spotted a protein that switches on the brain's natural antioxidant defense system.美国研究者宣称他们发现了一开启大脑天然抗氧化防御系统的蛋白。
This system protects brain cells from toxic free radicals, a waste product of cell metabolism linked to aging and a number of health problems, including heart attack, stroke and cancer, says a team from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
来自波士顿Dana-Farber 癌症研究所的一个小组说，这一系统保护脑细胞免受毒性氧自由基的损伤，氧自由基是细胞代谢的废物，它与衰老及许多健康问题相关，包括心脏病、中风、癌症。
Experts believe that some brain diseases involve a failure of its antioxidant defense system. In research with rodents, the Boston group found that the regulatory protein PGC-1a switches on the brain's anti-oxidant defense system when free radicals begin to accumulate.
专家们认为有些大脑疾病与它们的抗氧化防御系统功能障碍有关。在关于啮齿类动物的研究中，波士顿小组发现：当氧自由基开始聚集时，调节蛋白PGC-1a开启大脑抗氧化防御系统。
In another experiment, the scientists found that turning on PGC-1a to high levels in laboratory-cultured human and mouse brain cells protected the cells against nerve toxins.
在另一个实验中，科学家发现将实验室培养的人及鼠大脑细胞中的PGF-1a调至高水平，可以保护它们免受神经毒素的损伤。
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作者:admin@医学,生命科学 2011-03-24 18:59
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