Ohio State University Researchers Publish Groundbreaking Studies on Cancer, Genetics, and Virology

Strategic Insights -

Scientists at Ohio State University have made significant breakthroughs in understanding cancer, genetics, and virology, according to recent studies. Researchers have discovered new ways to combat cancer, uncovered genetic links to body weight and diabetes, and explored the role of a viral protein in immune system dysregulation.

Key Takeaways:

  • A team of researchers led by D. Perrotti found that the combination of PP2A phosphatase-activating and BCR/ABL kinase-inhibiting drugs may represent a powerful therapeutic strategy for blast crisis CML patients.
  • The study on cancer showed that imatinib mesylate, a BCR/ABL kinase inhibitor, is effective in most of chronic phase CML patients, but a significant percentage of CML patients develop resistance to imatinib and/or progress to blast crisis.
  • C. Bonilla and colleagues discovered a link between the agouti-related protein (AGRP) gene and leanness, as well as a decreased risk for diabetes in West Africans. They found that women carrying two copies of the variant T allele had significantly lower BMI, and men with at least one copy of the variant T allele were over two times less likely to be diabetic.
  • R. Glaser and colleagues investigated the role of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) early antigen complex and found that at least one protein of the complex, dUTPase, can induce immune dysregulation and may be involved in the pathophysiology of EBV-associated disease.

Statistics:

  • 538 West Africans from Ghana and Nigeria were recruited in the AADM study.
  • 41.3% of the participants were males, and 71% were diabetic.
  • Women carrying two copies of the variant T allele had significantly lower BMI (OR 0.47; 95% CI, 0.25-0.87).
  • Men with at least one copy of the variant T allele were over two times less likely to be diabetic than other men (OR 0.44; 95% CI, 0.22-0.89).

Sources:

  • D. Perrotti and colleagues, "ReSETting PP2A tumour suppressor activity in blast crisis and imatinib-resistant chronic myelogenous leukaemia", British Journal of Cancer, 2006;95(7):775-81
  • C. Bonilla and colleagues, "Agouti-related protein promoter variant associated with leanness and decreased risk for diabetes in West Africans", Int J Obes, 2006;30(4):715-721
  • R. Glaser and colleagues, "EBV-encoded dUTPase induces immune dysregulation: Implications for the pathophysiology of EBV-associated disease", Virology, 2006;346(1):205-218