GOOD NEWS

Target cancer cells

An engineered virus can track down and infect the most common and deadly form of brain cancer, and then kill tumour cells by forcing them to devour themselves, according to researchers at the University of Texas. This virus uses telomerase, an enzyme found in 80 per cent of brain tumours, as a target. Once the virus enters the cell, it needs telomerase to replicate. Normal brain tissue does not have telomerase, so this virus replicates only in cancer cells, reports the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The researchers have showed in lab experiments that the virus kills human prostate and human cervical cancer cells without disturbing the normal tissue.

Treating ulcers

Scientists have determined that decay-accelerating factor (DAF), a protein found in epithelial cells in the stomach, acts as a receptor for the bacteria Helicobacter pylori. The finding suggests that drugs that block this interaction or interfere with DAF binding could be used to prevent or treat peptic ulcer disease or distal gastric adenocarcinoma. These new drugs will be a welcome alternative to the current treatment for H. pylori infections, which typically involves taking three to four medications over a 10 to 14 day period. The research appears in the latest issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

BAD NEWS

Obese mothers

Mothers of young children are more likely to be obese when they perceive their neighbourhoods as unsafe, according to a paper in the journal Obesity. This was the conclusion of a study conducted by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Mathematica Policy Research and the University of Pennsylvania. According to the researchers, the characteristics of neighbourhoods influence how and where people spend their time, and unsafe neighbourhoods often contribute to the obesity epidemic by decreasing outdoor activity.

Genetic marker

Men who carry a certain genetic marker are more susceptible to developing prostate cancer, according to new research carried out in Iceland. Scientists at deCode Genetics, Reykjavik, say the marker is located somewhere within Chromosome 8. This discovery, reported in the journal Nature Genetics, could help doctors decide which men need to be monitored more closely, following genetic testing.