http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress provides the latest news from Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research In a surprising finding that helps explain fundamental behaviors of normal and diseased cells, Whitehead Institute scientists have discovered a set of powerful gene regulators dubbed "super-enhancers" that control cell state and identity. Healthy cells employ these super-enhancers to control genes responsible for cellular functions and developmental transitions—such as that from embryonic stem cell to nerve cell—but cancer cells are able to assemble their own insidious super-enhancers to overproduce harmful oncogenes that lead to aggressive tumors. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-genetic-master-expose-cancers-achilles.html Cancer Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:00:08 EST news284898455 Most commonly associated with such maladies as "mad cow disease" and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, prions are increasingly recognized for their ability to induce potentially beneficial traits in a variety of organisms, yeast chief among them. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-prion-yeast-cells.html Medical research Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:39:52 EST news283693139 Whitehead Institute researchers have identified a previously unrecognized layer of genetic regulation that is necessary for the generation of undesirable white fat cells. When this regulation is disrupted, white fat cells are unable to accumulate lipid droplets or mature from their precursors. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-noncoding-rnas-fat-cells.html Overweight and Obesity Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:09:35 EST news279979761 Using only a computer, an Internet connection, and publicly accessible online resources, a team of Whitehead Institute researchers has been able to identify nearly 50 individuals who had submitted personal genetic material as participants in genomic studies. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-expose-vulnerabilities-personal-genetic.html Genetics Thu, 17 Jan 2013 14:00:31 EST news277652517 In an approach with the potential to aid therapeutic vaccine development, Whitehead Institute scientists have shown that enzymatically modified antibodies can be used to generate highly targeted, potent responses from cells of the immune system. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-antibodies-trigger-immune-response-vaccine.html Medical research Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:00:01 EST news276780589 Whitehead Institute scientists report that certain molecules present in high concentrations on the surfaces of many cancer cells could be exploited to funnel lethal toxic molecules into the malignant cells. In such an approach, the overexpression of specific transporters could be exploited to deliver toxic substances into cancer cells. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-cell-surface-exploited-cancer-drug.html Genetics Sun, 02 Dec 2012 13:00:28 EST news273667569 Whitehead Institute researchers report that common assumptions employed in the generation and interpretation of data from global gene expression analyses can lead to seriously flawed conclusions about gene activity and cell behavior in a wide range of current biological research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-whitehead-scientists-major-flaw-standard.html Genetics Thu, 25 Oct 2012 13:51:19 EST news270391823 A large-scale analysis of Y chromosomes from more than 20,000 men finds that two spontaneously recurring deletions along a complex region of the Y chromosome are responsible for approximately 8% of cases of failed sperm production. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-reveals-key-genetic-deletions-contribute.html Genetics Thu, 25 Oct 2012 13:30:01 EST news270389531 Whitehead Institute researchers have determined the mechanism used by c-Myc to increase the expression of all active genes in cancer cells. Elevated levels of c-Myc are linked to increased rates of metastasis, disease recurrence, and mortality in cancer patients. Guided by this new model, researchers hope to find ways to restrict c-Myc's activity to eradicate cancer cells that become dependent on c-Myc for their survival. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-aggressive-cancer-exploits-myc-oncogene.html Cancer Thu, 27 Sep 2012 12:00:08 EST news267964972 The adult human circulatory system contains between 20 and 30 trillion red blood cells (RBCs), the precise size and number of which can vary from person to person. Some people may have fewer, but larger RBCs, while others may have a larger number of smaller RBCs. Although these differences in size and number may seem inconsequential, they raise an important question: Just what controls these characteristics of RBCs? http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-protein-red-blood-cell-size.html Genetics Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:23:09 EST news265396943 Whitehead Institute researchers have found that increased expression of a specific set of genes is strongly associated with metastasis and death in patients with breast, colon, and lung cancers. Not only could this finding help scientists identify a gene profile predictive of patient outcomes and response to treatment, it could also guide the development of therapeutics to target multiple cancer types. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-heat-shock-factor-reveals-unique-role.html Cancer Thu, 02 Aug 2012 12:00:02 EST news263127408 Pushed to the brink of survival, the hyper-driven cells of a cancerous tumor tap into an ancient system that has helped organisms cope with internal stresses and environmental challenges since life began. As an integral part of this system, heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) has been shown to help malignant cells accommodate the genetic changes and profound disturbances in normal biology that occur in cancers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-breast-cancer-clinical-trial-combo.html Cancer Tue, 22 May 2012 18:10:01 EST news256928104 The blood-brain barrier is essential for maintaining the brain's stable environment—preventing entry of harmful viruses and bacteria and isolating the brain's specific hormonal and neurotransmitter activity from that in the rest of the body. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-brain-glia-cells-dna-content.html Medical research Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:00:04 EST news245677086 Whitehead Institute scientists have identified conserved, long intervening non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) that play key roles during embryonic brain development in zebrafish. They also show that the human versions of the lincRNAs can substitute for the zebrafish versions, which implies that the functions of these non-coding RNAs have been retained in humans as well as fish. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-intervening-non-coding-rnas-pivotal-roles.html Medical research Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:00:01 EST news243777267 A long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) regulates programmed cell death during one of the final stages of red blood cell differentiation, according to Whitehead Institute researchers. This is the first time a lncRNA has been found to play a role in red blood cell development and the first time a lncRNA has been shown to affect programmed cell death. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-non-coding-rna-death-maturing-red.html Genetics Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:00:05 EST news242497738