Pig stem cells offer transplant hope
Chinese researchers have created stem cells from pigs' ears and bone marrow - a breakthrough that may pave the way for life-saving organ transplants, as well as new ways to combat diseases. Many of the biological functions and organs of pigs are similar to those of humans, and the team from the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology hopes to now be able to modify immune-related genes in pigs so their organs will be accepted by humans. Many research teams are trying to achieve a similar breakthrough with human adult cells: turning them into so-called pluripotent stem cells that, like embryonic cells, can develop into any type of cell, AFP reports.
Protein linked to Huntington's found
United States researchers have identified a protein that appears to trigger the destruction of brain cells in people with Huntington's disease - a rare, incurable and fatal genetic affliction. The discovery by a team from Johns Hopkins University raises hopes of finally developing a treatment, and may have implications for other brain diseases such as Alzheimer's. The Huntington's gene creates a faulty protein that's found in all cells, but until now it wasn't clear why it only kills certain neurons: apparently, it mixes with a second protein in the brain, called Rhes, triggering a toxic chemical meltdown, AP reports.
Herb to target autoimmune diseases
Harvard University researchers have used a 'revolutionary' drug derived from an ancient Chinese herb to target cells that cause autoimmune afflictions such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease. Chang shan, from the root of the blue evergreen hydrangea, has been used for 2,000 years to reduce fever and fight malaria, WebMD reports. Halofuginone, a derivative of its toxic active ingredient, was inconclusively tested against malaria by the US military during the 1960s. But Anjana Rao says her team's results show it may 'herald a revolution in the treatment of certain autoimmune and inflammatory diseases'.