Alzheimer's
disease is characterized by progressive loss of cognitive function
due to amyloid-beta (Aß) deposits in the central nervous
system. If these deposits could be stopped or slowed, Alzheimer's
disease might become more manageable. In the current issue of
the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, a novel paper from researchers
from the National Institute for Longevity Sciences, NCGG, Japan
and Center for Neurological Diseases, Brigham & Women's Hospital,
Harvard Institute of Medicine shows that a
new oral vaccine treatment is effective in reducing Alzheimer's
disease pathology.
The
researchers attached Aß DNA to an adeno-associated virus
vector and administered this vaccine to mice orally. Not only
were the Aß levels decreased, but the T-cell immune response
was also significantly reduced. A single dose of this vaccine
enhanced the production of Aß-antibodies for more than 6
months. Immunohistochemistry of the mouse brain tissue showed
that the extra-cellular amyloid deposits were clearly decreased
compared to the non-treated mouse.
"This new oral vaccine does
not induce strong T cell immune reactions, and hence it could
reduce the side effect of meningoencephalitis…This new therapy
seems to be effective for prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's
disease," Hideo Hara, M.D, writes.
Mitochondria
findings may help beat wide range of disease
New findings
explaining the complicated process by which the "energy substations"
of human cells split apart and recombine may lay the groundwork
for new
treatment approaches to a wide range of diseases, including
some cancers and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's
and Alzheimer's.
Researchers from
The Johns Hopkins University's Integrated Imaging Center; the
University of California, Davis; and the California Institute
of Technology collaborated on two new studies analyzing the mechanisms
and proteins that underlie the fission-fusion cycle of the cellular
powerplants, called mitochondria. Their findings were published
in two recent issues of the journal Science.
"To understand
the role that mitochondria play in both normal and aberrant cell
biology, it is essential to first understand the fusion-fission
process that occurs continuously in normal, healthy cells,"
said J. Michael McCaffery, a research scientist in the Johns Hopkins
Department of Biology, director of the Integrated Imaging Center,
and an author on both studies.
California
voters back $3 billion stem cell measure
A controversial
California ballot measure that would fund a decade of stem
cell research with $3 billion in state money was headed for
a resounding victory on 3rd of November, initial returns showed.
The initiative,
which was endorsed by popular California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
in a move that put him at odds with his Republican party and the
Bush administration, was carrying 59 percent of the vote with
about 74 percent of precincts reporting.
Backers of the
measure say the funding program would jump start scientific work
that could help cure diseases and establish California as a hub
for leading-edge research on a par with Singapore and Britain.
The California
ballot initiative would establish a pool of money that would dwarf
other U.S. public funding for such research.
The measure,
known as Proposition 71, would float $3 billion in tax-exempt
bonds to set up an Institute for Regenerative Medicine and fund
10 years of research.
It would also
establish a constitutional right within California to conduct
stem cell research while outlawing research on reproductive cloning.