Toxic shock: immune system's anthrax link

User rating: 4.4 / 5 after 13 vote(s)

Artists impression of the perforin-like protein Plu-MACPF. Australian scientists have found that this protein belongs to an ancient and lethal toxin family previously only found in bacteria. (Acrylic on canvas). Credit: Carla Chinni
Artist's impression of the perforin-like protein Plu-MACPF. Australian scientists have found that this protein belongs to an ancient and lethal toxin family previously only found in bacteria. (Acrylic on canvas). Credit: Carla Chinni

Human immune proteins crucial for fighting cancer, viruses and bacterial infections belong to an ancient and lethal toxin family previously only found in bacteria, Australian researchers have found.
These proteins, called perforins, are related to bacterial toxins that cause diseases such as anthrax, gas gangrene and scarlet fever. The discovery was made by a team led by Professor James Whisstock and Dr Michelle Dunstone from Monash University’s School of Biomedical Sciences.


Full story »
All News summaries from Medicine & Health news
All News summaries for August 23, 2007

US man apparently commits suicide as others watch via webcam

7 hours ago | User rating: not rated yet
A Florida teenager apparently committed suicide with a lethal cocktail of pills in front of his webcam as others watched it live on the Internet, authorities and local media said Saturday.

Med school discovery could lead to better cancer diagnosis, drugs

Nov 21, 2008 | User rating: not rated yet
A Florida State University College of Medicine research team led by Yanchang Wang has discovered an important new layer of regulation in the cell division cycle, which could lead to a greater understanding of the way cancer ...

Bipolar disorder genes, pathways identified

Nov 21, 2008 | User rating: not rated yet
Neuroscientists at the Indiana University School of Medicine have created the first comprehensive map of genes likely to be involved in bipolar disorder, according to research published online Nov. 21 in the American Journal ...

Nebraska changes law on abandonment of children of all ages

Nov 21, 2008 | User rating: not rated yet
Nebraska state lawmakers on Friday overhauled a law that allowed people to abandon their children of any age legally at hospitals, a senator's office confirmed.

Red, red wine: How it fights Alzheimer's

Nov 21, 2008 | User rating: not rated yet
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists call it the "French paradox" — a society that, despite consuming food high in cholesterol and saturated fats, has long had low death rates from heart disease. Research has suggested it is the red ...
Goto Archive PhysOrg Forum Goto Archive Video Goto Archive Editorials Goto Archive Free Magazines Goto Archive Newsletter

News Archive