15 May 2013 Brighter Brains The nodding yellow flowers of the humble daffodil are a welcome sight after the dreary days of winter. Dementia sufferers have a very different reason for enjoying this springtime display. Daffodils are a natural source of the drug galanthamine, one of the few treatments proven to improve the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Galanthamine slows the breakdown of neurotransmitters – chemicals that carry signals between neurons – leading to improved brain function. Unfortunately, galanthamine is expensive. The best natural sources contain just 0.2% galanthamine and it’s difficult to produce synthetically. Daffodils are thought to produce this chemical as a response to environmental stress, so researchers and farmers in Wales are experimenting with growing the bulbs at high altitude. They hope that creating stressful conditions for the plants will lead to higher drug yields and a brighter outlook for patients. Written by Sarah McLusky — Originally published under Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 2.0)
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15 May 2013

Brighter Brains

The nodding yellow flowers of the humble daffodil are a welcome sight after the dreary days of winter. Dementia sufferers have a very different reason for enjoying this springtime display. Daffodils are a natural source of the drug galanthamine, one of the few treatments proven to improve the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Galanthamine slows the breakdown of neurotransmitters – chemicals that carry signals between neurons – leading to improved brain function. Unfortunately, galanthamine is expensive. The best natural sources contain just 0.2% galanthamine and it’s difficult to produce synthetically. Daffodils are thought to produce this chemical as a response to environmental stress, so researchers and farmers in Wales are experimenting with growing the bulbs at high altitude. They hope that creating stressful conditions for the plants will lead to higher drug yields and a brighter outlook for patients.

Written by Sarah McLusky

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Source: bpod.mrc.ac.uk

14 May 2013 Mightier than Malaria This botanical superhero has saved the lives of millions of people around the world. The leaves of the plant sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua, seen here using an electron microscope) are covered with glandular hairs, known as trichomes, which secrete artemisenin – the most effective drug for treating malaria. Malaria kills over half a million people (mainly children) each year and affects millions more. It’s caused by a parasite that is spread via mosquito bites. Artemisenin, first identified by screening Chinese traditional medicines, rapidly clears the parasite from the body. Researchers worldwide are focussed on establishing cheaper and more reliable sources of the drug. Selective breeding is helping to create plant varieties with higher yields, and some genes involved in artemisenin synthesis have been spliced into yeast. Although the parasite is beginning to evolve artemisenin resistance, this plant is still a lifeline for millions. Written by Sarah McLusky — CNAP, University of York, UK
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14 May 2013

Mightier than Malaria

This botanical superhero has saved the lives of millions of people around the world. The leaves of the plant sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua, seen here using an electron microscope) are covered with glandular hairs, known as trichomes, which secrete artemisenin – the most effective drug for treating malaria. Malaria kills over half a million people (mainly children) each year and affects millions more. It’s caused by a parasite that is spread via mosquito bites. Artemisenin, first identified by screening Chinese traditional medicines, rapidly clears the parasite from the body. Researchers worldwide are focussed on establishing cheaper and more reliable sources of the drug. Selective breeding is helping to create plant varieties with higher yields, and some genes involved in artemisenin synthesis have been spliced into yeast. Although the parasite is beginning to evolve artemisenin resistance, this plant is still a lifeline for millions.

Written by Sarah McLusky

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13 May 2013 Magnificent Moss Using moss for wound dressings or babies’ nappies might sound a bit unhygienic. However, Sphagnum moss, which covers more of the Earth’s land surface than any other plant, is both superabsorbent and naturally antiseptic. These unique properties made Sphagnum the wound dressing of choice for over a 1000 years, and a shortage of bandages during the Great War (1914-1918) led to renewed interest in this remarkable plant. Sphagnum leaves (seen here using a light microscope) contain many dead, empty cells surrounded by a capillary-like network of living, green cells. The empty cells are dotted with tiny pores and can suck up and hold water, like a sponge. Sphagnum moss also lowers the pH of the surrounding environment, largely thanks to a cell-wall polysaccharide [carbohydrate] called sphagnan. This acidity inhibits the growth of microorganisms, reducing the chance of wound infection. Written by Sarah McLusky — Heino Lepp Australian National Botanic Gardens
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13 May 2013

Magnificent Moss

Using moss for wound dressings or babies’ nappies might sound a bit unhygienic. However, Sphagnum moss, which covers more of the Earth’s land surface than any other plant, is both superabsorbent and naturally antiseptic. These unique properties made Sphagnum the wound dressing of choice for over a 1000 years, and a shortage of bandages during the Great War (1914-1918) led to renewed interest in this remarkable plant. Sphagnum leaves (seen here using a light microscope) contain many dead, empty cells surrounded by a capillary-like network of living, green cells. The empty cells are dotted with tiny pores and can suck up and hold water, like a sponge. Sphagnum moss also lowers the pH of the surrounding environment, largely thanks to a cell-wall polysaccharide [carbohydrate] called sphagnan. This acidity inhibits the growth of microorganisms, reducing the chance of wound infection.

Written by Sarah McLusky

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12 May 2013 Missing Parts Our understanding of hereditary diseases has taken huge strides forward since the code of the human genome was cracked at the start of the century. For example, about 20 gene defects have been linked to primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), a disorder causing missing or malformed cilia – the microscopic hair-like structures that help keep the inner surfaces of our airways and sinuses free from infection. The latest to be identified is in a gene called LRRC6, which results in cilia lacking dynein, a protein essential to their sweeping motion. In the highly magnified cross-sections of cilia pictured, arrows show the position of dynein structures in a cilium from the airway of a normal person (top left) and normal lung (bottom left). In the airways of a PCD sufferer (top right) and in lung cells given the LRRC6 defect (bottom right), arrows mark their absence. Without dynein ‘broom handles’ cilia can’t sweep. Written by Mick Warwicker — Amjad Horani Washington University School of Medicine, USA Originally published under a Creative Commons Attribution license Published in PLoS ONE 8(3): e59436
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12 May 2013

Missing Parts

Our understanding of hereditary diseases has taken huge strides forward since the code of the human genome was cracked at the start of the century. For example, about 20 gene defects have been linked to primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), a disorder causing missing or malformed cilia – the microscopic hair-like structures that help keep the inner surfaces of our airways and sinuses free from infection. The latest to be identified is in a gene called LRRC6, which results in cilia lacking dynein, a protein essential to their sweeping motion. In the highly magnified cross-sections of cilia pictured, arrows show the position of dynein structures in a cilium from the airway of a normal person (top left) and normal lung (bottom left). In the airways of a PCD sufferer (top right) and in lung cells given the LRRC6 defect (bottom right), arrows mark their absence. Without dynein ‘broom handles’ cilia can’t sweep.

Written by Mick Warwicker

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11 May 2013 Cancer Culprit Eye colour, body shape, whether we can roll our tongues: genes affect everything about us. These genetic programs carry within them the code needed to create proteins – the building blocks of life. Given this essential role, it is perhaps unsurprising that genes also play a major part in some diseases. With gastric cancer (a microscopic section pictured), the activity of one gene, called CAV-1, is particularly important. As tumour cells (orange) take hold, the gene becomes less and less active in producing proteins. Although this shift occurs throughout the tumour, it’s in its connective tissue (green) where this drop in work rate appears to have the greatest toll. Lower levels of CAV-1 activity in these areas predict higher rates of death and recurrence in patients. Therefore, targeting CAV-1 within the connective tissue of tumours may offer a good opportunity for fighting the disease. Written by Jan Piotrowski — Honglei Chen Wuhan University, China Originally published under a Creative Commons Attribution license Published in PLoS ONE 8(3): e59102
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11 May 2013

Cancer Culprit

Eye colour, body shape, whether we can roll our tongues: genes affect everything about us. These genetic programs carry within them the code needed to create proteins – the building blocks of life. Given this essential role, it is perhaps unsurprising that genes also play a major part in some diseases. With gastric cancer (a microscopic section pictured), the activity of one gene, called CAV-1, is particularly important. As tumour cells (orange) take hold, the gene becomes less and less active in producing proteins. Although this shift occurs throughout the tumour, it’s in its connective tissue (green) where this drop in work rate appears to have the greatest toll. Lower levels of CAV-1 activity in these areas predict higher rates of death and recurrence in patients. Therefore, targeting CAV-1 within the connective tissue of tumours may offer a good opportunity for fighting the disease.

Written by Jan Piotrowski

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10 May 2013 A Fishy Cancer Tale You may not think that tropical zebrafish can tell us a lot about testicular cancer in men, but the little creatures are proving a useful ally in the fight against the disease. This striking rosette is made up of chromosomes – long strings of DNA (stained blue) that twist up into neat packages as a cell divides. A protein called LRRC50, coloured green, coats the chromosomes, while their centres are labelled red. But while these chromosomes are taken from a human cell, LRRC50 is also found in zebrafish. Animals with a faulty version of the protein develop the fishy equivalent of testicular cancer, and LRRC50 faults are also found in some men affected by the disease. Although more than nine out of ten patients now survive testicular cancer the treatments are harsh, so studying LRRC50 in fish will help researchers develop kinder future therapies. Written by Kat Arney — Rachel Giles University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands Originally published under a Creative Commons Attribution license Published in PLoS Genetics 9(4): e1003384
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10 May 2013

A Fishy Cancer Tale

You may not think that tropical zebrafish can tell us a lot about testicular cancer in men, but the little creatures are proving a useful ally in the fight against the disease. This striking rosette is made up of chromosomes – long strings of DNA (stained blue) that twist up into neat packages as a cell divides. A protein called LRRC50, coloured green, coats the chromosomes, while their centres are labelled red. But while these chromosomes are taken from a human cell, LRRC50 is also found in zebrafish. Animals with a faulty version of the protein develop the fishy equivalent of testicular cancer, and LRRC50 faults are also found in some men affected by the disease. Although more than nine out of ten patients now survive testicular cancer the treatments are harsh, so studying LRRC50 in fish will help researchers develop kinder future therapies.

Written by Kat Arney

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09 May 2013 Magic Milk In some versions of the Superman story, Kryptonite strips the great hero of his powers, leaving him as vulnerable to attack as any mere mortal. Do ‘superbugs’ – bacteria that have evolved resistance to antibiotics – have a similar Achilles’ heel? Researchers have discovered that a protein in human milk called HAMLET has the power to reduce this resistance. By disrupting the cell membranes – the sacs that hold a cell’s contents inside – HAMLET can weaken bacteria. Its effects are so pronounced that even resistant strains of the pneumonia-inducing Streptococcus pneumoniae and the notorious MRSA can be made once again susceptible to antibiotic attack. Pictured are two S. pneumoniae cells; one (top left) healthy, and one (bottom right) wrecked thanks in part to HAMLET. Antibiotic resistance is one of the great villains of modern medicine. HAMLET could allow doctors to prescribe smaller concentrations of antibiotics, and maybe even vanquish the superbugs for good. Written by Anthony Lewis — Laura Marks University at Buffalo, USA Research published in PLoS One 8(5): e63158
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09 May 2013

Magic Milk

In some versions of the Superman story, Kryptonite strips the great hero of his powers, leaving him as vulnerable to attack as any mere mortal. Do ‘superbugs’ – bacteria that have evolved resistance to antibiotics – have a similar Achilles’ heel? Researchers have discovered that a protein in human milk called HAMLET has the power to reduce this resistance. By disrupting the cell membranes – the sacs that hold a cell’s contents inside – HAMLET can weaken bacteria. Its effects are so pronounced that even resistant strains of the pneumonia-inducing Streptococcus pneumoniae and the notorious MRSA can be made once again susceptible to antibiotic attack. Pictured are two S. pneumoniae cells; one (top left) healthy, and one (bottom right) wrecked thanks in part to HAMLET. Antibiotic resistance is one of the great villains of modern medicine. HAMLET could allow doctors to prescribe smaller concentrations of antibiotics, and maybe even vanquish the superbugs for good.

Written by Anthony Lewis

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08 May 2013 Breaking Down Defences We inhale a host of potentially infectious germs with each breath, but most are removed before they can cause harm, trapped in mucus and cleared out by the beating hairs of cells lining our airway. However, bacteria may evade this first line of defence by altering the organisation of cells in the trachea, the tube connecting the throat and lungs. These 3D representations of mouse tracheal tissue, constructed using fluorescence microscopy images, reveal the effect of infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae, which causes pneumonia when it enters the lungs. In the bottom panel, exposure to bacteria (shown in yellow) triggers the breakdown of the carefully ordered structure seen in the healthy tissue (top). Networks of protein fibres (in red) become disorganised, and the hairs, or cilia (in green), no longer form a plane surface. These changes will distort the flow of mucus along the airway, preventing efficient removal of unwanted particles. Written by Emmanuelle Briolat — Manfred Fliegauf University of Freiburg, Germany Originally published under a Creative Commons Attribution license Published in PLoS ONE 8(3): e59925
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08 May 2013

Breaking Down Defences

We inhale a host of potentially infectious germs with each breath, but most are removed before they can cause harm, trapped in mucus and cleared out by the beating hairs of cells lining our airway. However, bacteria may evade this first line of defence by altering the organisation of cells in the trachea, the tube connecting the throat and lungs. These 3D representations of mouse tracheal tissue, constructed using fluorescence microscopy images, reveal the effect of infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae, which causes pneumonia when it enters the lungs. In the bottom panel, exposure to bacteria (shown in yellow) triggers the breakdown of the carefully ordered structure seen in the healthy tissue (top). Networks of protein fibres (in red) become disorganised, and the hairs, or cilia (in green), no longer form a plane surface. These changes will distort the flow of mucus along the airway, preventing efficient removal of unwanted particles.

Written by Emmanuelle Briolat

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07 May 2013 The Inside Story Feeling under the weather? How can doctors tell if vague symptoms like fatigue and weight loss are a sign of something more sinister? Blood tests are the first step, but if the results are inconclusive a body scan is useful. PET-CT is a medical imaging technique that combines x-rays and radioactive tracers to produce an image of the internal organs. This patient was injected with a radioactive tracer that mimics glucose. It‘s normal to see the tracer accumulate in metabolically-active organs like the brain, liver and kidneys, but if it‘s seen elsewhere it can signal problems. Here the tracer was found in the spleen (brown arrow), ribs (top, red arrow) and spine (bottom, red arrow). This suggested a white blood cell disorder, which was later confirmed with a bone marrow biopsy. Combining diagnostic techniques in this way gives doctors the best chance of successfully identifying and treating illness. Written by Sarah McLusky — Yvo Smulders VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, The Netherlands Originally published under a Creative Commons Attribution license Published in PLoS ONE 8(3): e58917
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07 May 2013

The Inside Story

Feeling under the weather? How can doctors tell if vague symptoms like fatigue and weight loss are a sign of something more sinister? Blood tests are the first step, but if the results are inconclusive a body scan is useful. PET-CT is a medical imaging technique that combines x-rays and radioactive tracers to produce an image of the internal organs. This patient was injected with a radioactive tracer that mimics glucose. It‘s normal to see the tracer accumulate in metabolically-active organs like the brain, liver and kidneys, but if it‘s seen elsewhere it can signal problems. Here the tracer was found in the spleen (brown arrow), ribs (top, red arrow) and spine (bottom, red arrow). This suggested a white blood cell disorder, which was later confirmed with a bone marrow biopsy. Combining diagnostic techniques in this way gives doctors the best chance of successfully identifying and treating illness.

Written by Sarah McLusky

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06 May 2013 Bursting with Danger Parkinson’s disease starts when certain types of brain cells die, causing uncontrollable shaking and other serious problems. It affects more than 120,000 people in the UK, yet there’s no clear cause and no cure. One thing that’s known about it is the presence of tiny clumps of a poisonous protein inside the brain cells of people with Parkinson’s, which can spread to neighbouring cells and damage them too. It turns out that these clumps sneak into cells in the same way as viruses, smuggling themselves in with other cargo then breaking out and causing havoc. The red circle in this image is the nucleus of a nerve cell grown in the lab, while the green specks are the rogue protein bursting free. If this discovery holds up in living brains as well as Petri dishes, it could be an important step forward in understanding this distressing disease. Written by Kat Arney — Edward Campbell Loyola University Chicago, USA Originally published under a Creative Commons Attribution license Published in PLoS ONE 8(4): e62143
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06 May 2013

Bursting with Danger

Parkinson’s disease starts when certain types of brain cells die, causing uncontrollable shaking and other serious problems. It affects more than 120,000 people in the UK, yet there’s no clear cause and no cure. One thing that’s known about it is the presence of tiny clumps of a poisonous protein inside the brain cells of people with Parkinson’s, which can spread to neighbouring cells and damage them too. It turns out that these clumps sneak into cells in the same way as viruses, smuggling themselves in with other cargo then breaking out and causing havoc. The red circle in this image is the nucleus of a nerve cell grown in the lab, while the green specks are the rogue protein bursting free. If this discovery holds up in living brains as well as Petri dishes, it could be an important step forward in understanding this distressing disease.

Written by Kat Arney

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