Novel Fixative for Improved Biomolecule Quality from Paraffin-Embedded Tissue

Tissues samples collected during medical procedures, such as biopsies, are used to diagnose a wide variety of diseases. Before diagnosis, patient samples are typically processed by fixation and paraffin embedding. This fixation/embedding process is used to preserve tissue morphology and histology for subsequent evaluation. Unfortunately, most fixative agents can damage or destroy nucleic acids (RNA and DNA) and damage proteins during the fixation process, thereby potentially impairing diagnostic assessment of tissue.

A3 Adenosine Receptor Agonists to Treat Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy

This invention claims species-independent agonists of A3AR, specifically (N)-methanocarba adenine nucleosides and related pharmaceutical compositions. The A3 adenosine receptor (A3AR) subtype has been linked with helping protect the heart from ischemia, controlling inflammation, and regulating cell proliferation. Agonists of the human A3AR subtype have been developed that are also selective for the mouse A3AR while retaining selectivity for the human receptor.

Generation of Smad3-null Mice and Smad4-conditional Mice

SMADs are a novel set of mammalian proteins that act downstream of TGF-beta family ligands. These proteins can be categorized into three distinct functional sets, receptor-activated SMADs (SMADs 1,2,3,5, and 8), the common mediator SMAD (SMAD 4), and inhibitory SMADs (SMADs 6 and 7). SMAD proteins are thought to play a role in vertebrate development and tumorigenesis.

A Mouse with a Targeted Mutation in the Uncoupling Protein-3 (upc3) Gene

The NIH announces the development of a transgenic mouse with a targeted mutation in the ucp3 gene. The ucp3 gene is implicated I the function of regulating energy metabolism. This regulatory function is thought to be accomplished by changing metabolic efficiency (causing energy expended as heat rather than used for ADP/ATP conversion) and/or by participating in fat metabolism. The mutation should inactivate the ucp3 function and the mouse provided a testing vehicle for the above hypotheses.

A Nurr1-Knockout Mouse Model for Parkinson's Disease and Stem Cell Differentiation

The researchers have generated Nurr1-knockout mice via genomic locus inactivation using homologous recombination.

Transcription factor Nurr1 is an obligatory factor for neurotransmitter dopamine biosynthesis in ventral midbrain. From a neurological and clinical perspective, it suggests an entirely new mechanism for dopamine depletion in a region where dopamine is known to be involved in Parkinson's disease. Activation of Nurr1 may be therapeutically useful for Parkinson's disease patients; therefore, the mice would be useful in Parkinson's disease research.

Methods for Rapid and Specific Fluorescent Staining of Biological Tissue for Laser Capture Microdissection

Available for licensing and commercial development are methods for rapid and specific fluorescent staining of biological tissue samples that substantially preserve biological molecules such as mRNA. Also within the scope of the invention are methods for microdissecting tissue to obtain pure populations of cells or tissue structures based upon identifying and excising cells or tissue structures that are labeled with fluorescent specific binding agents.

Methods for Prevention and Treatment of Polyomavirus Infection or Reactivation (E-179-2007)

Available for licensing and commercial development are methods of using Tranilast [N-(3',4'-dimethoxycinnamoyl)anthranilic acid] in the prevention and treatment of human polyomavirus infection. Treatment with Tranilast decreases viral protein expression for two human polyomavirus species, JC virus (JCV) and BK virus (BKV). Furthermore, the increase in JCV/BKV protein production observed upon the addition of TGF-beta could also be effectively abolished by Tranilast co-treatment.

Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Nucleic Acid Sequence Variations

The ability to easily detect small mutations in nucleic acids, such as single base substitutions, can provide a powerful tool for use in cancer detection, perinatal screens for inherited diseases, and analysis of genetic polymorphisms such as genetic mapping or for identification purposes. Current approaches make use of the mismatch that occurs between complimentary strands of DNA when there is a genetic mutation, the electrophoretic mobility differences caused by small sequence changes, and chemicals or enzymes that can cleave heteroduplex sites.

Prostatic Adenocarcinoma Cells Expressing or Lacking the Tumor Suppressor Gene PTEN

PTEN is a tumor suppressor gene that is frequently deleted or mutated in a variety of human cancers, including prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and ovarian cancers. In prostate cancer cells, PTEN deletion is the most common event observed. The loss of PTEN is thought to play and important role in tumor cell proliferation and metastasis due to a lack of control of the signaling pathways that mediate cellular processes such as apoptosis and migration.
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