Understanding that the leakage of blood vessels in cancer tumors interferes with currently used oncology treatments, researchers at Uppsala University say they have discovered a novel mechanism that can suppress leakage by targeting specific protein complexes that connect the cells in the blood vessel walls. "We have studied mice that have a mutation in a certain part of one of the proteins in the protein complex," said study leader Lena Claesson-Welsh, a professor in the Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, at Uppsala University and Science for Life Laboratory, in a release. "The regular blood vessels in these mice function normally, but vessels in tumors showed less leakage, and there was a decrease in edema formation. In addition, the mutant mice responded better to treatment with chemotherapy." Release | Article
> Rare genetic changes increase the likelihood that a child will have higher bone density, but only in girls, according to new research from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Release
> Researchers at Loyola University Health System and Loyola University Chicago have been looking to see if they can pinpoint the treatment time needed to cure hepatitis C. If successful, they say they can reduce the cost of hep C treatment by as much as 50%, noting that many patients' hep C is cured well before the end of their treatment schedule. Release