Could Improve Gene Therapy

for Brain Cancer

Science (Aug. 11, 2010) — An ingredient in the venom of the “deathstalker” scorpion could help gene therapy become an effective treatment for brain cancer, scientists are reporting. The substance allows therapeutic genes — genes that treat disease — to reach more brain cancer cells than current approaches, according to the study in ACS Nano.

Miqin Zhang and colleagues note that gene therapy — the delivery of therapeutic genes into diseased cells — shows promise for fighting glioma, the most common and most serious form of brain cancer. But difficulties in getting genes to enter cancer cells and concerns over the safety and potential side effects of substances used to transport these genes have kept the approach from helping patients.

The scientists describe a new approach that could solve these problems. Key ingredients of their gene-delivery system are chlorotoxin, the substance in deathstalker scorpion venom that can slow the spread of brain cancer, and nanoparticles of iron oxide. Each nanoparticle is about 1/50,000th the width of a human hair. In tests on lab mice, the scientists demonstrated that their venom-based nanoparticles can induce nearly twice the amount of gene expression in brain cancer cells as nanoparticles that do not contain the venom ingredient. “These results indicate that this targeted gene delivery system may potentially improve treatment outcome of gene therapy for glioma and other deadly cancers,” the article notes.

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

Imagine having to sue someone to make them do their job.

Sounds crazy, right? But you don’t have to imagine – because the do-nothing feds are at the wrong end of just such a suit.

The National Resources Defense Council has gone on the offensive to try to force the FDA to finally regulate – and ban – bisphenol A, the dangerous hormone-like chemical that’s in plastic containers and metal can linings.

The NRDC actually petitioned the FDA to ban BPA two years ago – and under the agency’s own rules, it had 180 days to approve, deny or respond to that demand.

Instead, they did nothing at all.

Two years later, we’re still waiting for them to act. While the feds now claim to be “concerned,” they also insist that BPA is perfectly safe – and say they plan to keep studying it. And by that, they mean they’ll keep on doing what they do best: nothing.

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

for Development of Therapies

for Heart Disease and Cancer

Science(July 30, 2010) — Researchers seeking to learn more about stroke by studying how the body responds to toxins in snake venom are releasing new findings that they hope will aid in the development of therapies for heart disease and, surprisingly, cancer.

The Japanese team is reporting in a Journal of Biological Chemistry “Paper of the Week” that they are optimistic that inhibiting a protein found on the surface of blood cells known as platelets may combat both irregular blood clotting and the spread of certain cancers throughout the body.

“The finding that platelets not only play a role in blood clotting but also in the development of vessels that allow tumors to flourish was quite unexpected and paves the way for new research on the role or roles of platelets,” says Katsue Suzuki-Inoue, the associate professor at the University of Yamanashi who oversaw the 13-person team’s work in professor Yukio Ozaki’s laboratory.

About platelets, blood clots and stroke

Under normal conditions, platelets are activated to become sticky when blood vessels are injured, and their clumping together (aggregation or clotting) naturally stops bleeding. But, irregular platelet aggregation caused by disease can lead to dangerous clots or even stroke if a clot clogs or bursts in a vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain.

“When a blood clot, or thrombus, forms during the body’s normal repair process, it’s doing its job,” says Suzuki-Inoue. “But, thrombotic diseases, such as heart attack and stroke, are leading causes of death in developed countries. Understanding and manipulating the underlying chemical reactions could help us save many lives.”

But what does this have to do with snake venom? It’s sort of a long story.

How venom can prevent or cause clotting

“Snake venom contains a vast number of toxins that target proteins in platelets,” says Yonchol Shin, an associate professor at Kogakuin University who specializes in snake toxins. “Some of those toxins prevent platelets from clotting, which can lead to profuse bleeding in snake bite victims. Others, like the one we’ve focused this research on, potently activate platelets, which results in blood clots. Identification of the molecular targets of many of these toxins has made an enormous contribution to our understanding of platelet activation and related diseases.”

Intrigued by the then-recent discovery that elements in snake venom can promote irregular aggregation of platelets — the kind that leads to clots and stroke — Inoue’s and Ozaki’s team set out in 1997 to understand better the molecular underpinnings of those chemical reactions. They hoped that whatever they learned could be applied to the search for new therapies for irregular blood clotting caused by disease.

In 2000, another set of investigators came across a protein on the surface of platelets and dubbed it C-type lectin-like receptor 2, or CLEC-2. At the time, it remained unclear how CLEC-2 was produced or what its job was, but the team suspected it was worth further study.

After six years of research and collaborations with British investigators, the team in 2006 discovered how rhodocytin — a molecule purified from the venom of the Southeast Asia pit viper Calloselasma rhodastoma — binds to the CLEC-2 receptor protein on the platelet surface, spurring the platelet to clot with others like it.

Then, in another JBC “Paper of the Week” in 2007, Suzuki-Inoue and her colleagues reported how a separate molecule, called podoplanin, binds to the CLEC-2 platelet receptor protein very much like the venom molecule does. Discovered in 1990, podoplanin is a protein expressed on the surface of cancer cells, and, when bound to the CLEC-2 receptor on platelets, it spurs blood clotting, too.

“To shield themselves from the immune system, cancer cells send out a chemical, podoplanin, which binds to the CLEC-2 receptor protein on platelets, telling the platelets to get together and form a protective barrier around the cancer cells. Once enveloped, the cancer cells are not detected by the immune system and are able to bind to blood vessels’ inner linings and spread, or metastasize, throughout the body,” she explained.

Using a mouse model, the team in 2008 showed that blocking the tumor protein podoplanin from binding with the platelet receptor protein CLEC-2 could prevent tumors from metastasizing to the lung.

From snake venom to platelets to tumors

The recent investigations by the team, published in the JBC online July 4, hinged on the generation and study of genetically engineered mouse embryos that lacked the platelet receptor protein CLEC-2. In the end, the experiments showed that CLEC-2 is not only necessary for blood clotting but also necessary for the development of a different type of vessel, specifically lymphatic vessels that carry fluid away from tissues and prevent swelling, or edema.

“During fetal development, the CLEC-2 deficiency disturbed the normal process of blood clotting and, in fact, the normal development and differentiation of blood and lymphatic vessels,” says Masanori Hirashima, an associate professor at Kobe University. “They had disorganized and blood-filled lymphatic vessels and severe swelling.”

Podoplanin, Hirashima explains, is also expressed on the surface of certain types of lymphatic cells and is known to play a role in the development of lymphatic vessels: “These findings suggest that the interaction between CLEC-2 and podoplanin in lymphatic vessels is necessary for the separation between blood vessels and lymphatic vessels.”

It has been known that tumors generate blood vessels to promote their growth, and it’s possible that the formation of lymphatic vessels also may contribute to the spread of cancer throughout the body, says Osamu Inoue, an assistant professor at the University of Yamanashi.

“We speculate that the interaction between the platelet’s CLEC-2 protein and the podoplanin molecule in lymphatic cells plays an essential role in the creation of lymphatic vessels, thereby facilitating tumor growth. If this is the case, a drug that blocks that interaction would prevent the spread of tumors through lymphatic vessels,” Inoue said.

By being deemed a “Paper of the Week,” the team’s work is categorized in the top 1 percent of papers reviewed by the JBC editorial board in terms of significance and overall importance. Other contributors included Guo Ding, Satoshi Nishimura, Kazuya Hokamura, Koji Eto, Hirokazu Kashiwagi, Yoshiaki Tomiyama, Yutaka Yatomi and Kazuo Umemura.

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

More Dangerous in Oceans

Science (June 28, 2010) — Even though freshwater concentrations of mercury are far greater than those found in seawater, it’s the saltwater fish like tuna, mackerel and shark that end up posing a more serious health threat to humans who eat them.

The answer, according to Duke University researchers, is in the seawater itself.

The potentially harmful version of mercury — known as methylmercury — latches onto dissolved organic matter in freshwater, while it tends to latch onto chloride — the salt — in seawater, according to new a study by Heileen Hsu-Kim, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering.

“The most common ways nature turns methylmercury into a less toxic form is through sunlight,” Hsu-Kim said. “When it is attached to dissolved organic matter, like decayed plants or animal matter, sunlight more readily breaks down the methylmercury. However, in seawater, the methlymercury remains tightly bonded to the chloride, where sunlight does not degrade it as easily. In this form, methylmercury can then be ingested by marine animals.”

Methylmercury is a potent neurotoxin that can lead to kidney dysfunctions, neurological disorders and even death. In particular, fetuses exposed to methylmercury can suffer from these same disorders as well as impaired learning abilities. Because fish and shellfish have a natural tendency to store methylmercury in their organs, they are the leading source of mercury ingestion for humans.

“The exposure rate of mercury in the U.S. is quite high,” Hsu-Kim said. “A recent epidemiological survey found that up 8 percent of women had mercury levels higher than national guidelines. Since humans are on the top of the food chain, any mercury in our food accumulates in our body.”

The results of Hsu-Kim’s experiments, which have been published early online in the journal Nature Geoscience, suggest that scientists and policymakers should focus their efforts on the effects of mercury in the oceans, rather than freshwater.

Her research is supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Science.

In the past, most of the scientific studies of effects of mercury in the environment have focused on freshwater, because the technology had not advanced to the point where scientists could accurately measure the smaller concentrations of mercury found in seawater. Though the concentrations may be smaller in seawater, mercury accumulates more readily in the tissues of organisms that consume it.

“Because sunlight does not break it down in seawater, the lifetime of methlymercury is much longer in the marine environment,” Hsu-Kim said. “However, the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency do not distinguish between freshwater and seawater.”

Mercury enters the environment through many routes, but the primary sources are coal combustion, the refinement of gold and other non-ferrous metals, and volcanic eruptions. The air-borne mercury from these sources eventually lands on lakes or oceans and can remain in the water or sediments.

The key to the sun’s ability to break down methylmercury is a class of chemicals known as reactive oxygen species. These forms of oxygen are the biochemical equivalent of the bull in the china shop because of the way they break chemical bonds. One way these reactive oxygens are formed is by sunlight acting on oxygen molecules in the water.

“These reactive forms of oxygen are much more efficient in breaking the bonds within the methylmercury molecule,” Hsu-Kim said. “And if the methylmercury is bonded to organic matter instead of chloride, then the break down reaction is much faster.”

Tong Zhang, a Ph.D. candidate in Hsu-Kim’s laboratory, was first author on the paper.

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

Physical Chemists Devise Quick

Spectrometry-Based Mercury Test

August 1, 2006 — Physical chemists have created a new, cheap test to detect mercury, an element known to harm the brain, kidneys, heart, lungs and immune system. A gold nanorod absorbs mercury from a sample and, then and an optical spectrometer measures changes in the nanorod’s light absorption. The process, which takes less than 10 minutes, can test mercury concentrations in liquids, gases, or solids.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Mercury … It’s in the ground, in the air, and in our water! We even have a little bit in our bodies. That’s normal. But too much mercury could cause health problems. What’s in your water? New tests may help detect if something dangerous is coming out of your faucet.

Courtney Hylton and her 2-year-old daughter Jordan enjoy their afternoon tea parties. Even though it tastes just right, what’s in the water could hurt them both.

“I really want to know what’s in there that shouldn’t be there,” Courtney says.

According to chemist Andres Campiglia, mercury attacks the nervous system. Too much mercury in your body can cause injury to your brain, kidneys, heart, lungs and immune system.

For pregnant women like Courtney, too much mercury can be toxic to their unborn babies. That’s why she is having her water tested.

Using gold to remove mercury from drinking water

University of Central Florida chemists Eloy Hernández and Campiglia have created a new quick, cheap test to detect mercury by using a very unlikely source — pure gold. Water is mixed with a solution containing gold nanorods, or solid gold bars 2,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. Gold absorbs mercury. Then, scientists use an optical spectrometer to measure the light soaked up by the nanorods and reveal how much mercury is present.

“The more reddish it becomes, the higher the concentration of mercury,” Hernández tells DBIS.

The entire process takes less than 10 minutes. Results read out on a computer.

Courtney and Jordan’s water was safe, so for them it’s another cup of tea — with a little milk — and no mercury.

This mercury test works on not only liquids, but also on gases and solids. Scientists believe it can also be used in a larger capacity to clean up water and power plants. It could be available to the public within a few years.

BACKGROUND: Chemists are using an unusual technique to detect mercury in your water: gold nanorods, two thousand times thinner than a human hair The gold absorbs the mercury while the researchers monitor changes in the amount of light through a hand-held device called an optical spectrometer. This process can be used to create water filters and reclaim contaminated water.

HOW MERCURY GETS INTO WATER: Mercury is found in many rocks including coal, which when burned, releases mercury into the environment. Coal-burning power plants are the largest human-caused source of mercury emissions to the air in the United States, accounting for over 40 percent of all domestic human-caused mercury emissions. The EPA has estimated that about one quarter of U.S. emissions from coal-burning power plants are deposited within the U.S. Burning hazardous wastes, producing chlorine, breaking mercury products, and spilling mercury, as well as the improper treatment and disposal of products or wastes containing mercury, can also release it into the environment. Current estimates are that less than half of all mercury within the U.S. comes from U.S. sources. Mercury in the air eventually settles into water or onto land where it can be washed into water.

TOXIC MERCURY: Also known as “quicksilver,” mercury is heavy, silver-like metal, and one of five elements that are liquid at or near room temperature. Mercury is a neurotoxin, so it affects the central nervous system, causing personality changes, nervousness, trembling and in extreme cases, dementia. If mercury vapor is inhaled, as much as 80 percent of it may enter the bloodstream.

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

Game Meat

ScienceDaily (June 6, 2010) — Eating the meat of animals hunted using lead ammunition can be more dangerous for health than was previously thought, especially for children and people who consume large quantities. This is reflected in a study carried out by British and Spanish researchers that has been published by the journal PLos One.

A team of scientists from the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), along with researchers from other British institutions and from the Spanish Research Institute on Cynegetic Resources (IREC in Spanish), has proven that the levels of lead in some game meat that has already been cooked exceed the maximum allowances set by the European Union, due to the presence of remains of ammunition.

“Depending on the species and type of recipe used, between 20 and 87.5% of the samples analysed exceeded the maximum level of lead set by the EU in meat from livestock animals of 100 parts per billion (0.1 mg/kg of the fresh weight of meat),” Rafael Mateo, co-author of the study and researcher for IREC (a joint centre composed of the University of Castilla-La Mancha, the Community Board of Castilla-La Mancha and the CSIC), indicated.

To carry out the study, published recently in the free access journal PLoS ONE, the researchers analysed the meat of six species of game birds (red partridge, pheasant, wood pigeon, grouse, woodcock and mallard) shot by hunters in the United Kingdom. “In Spain and other countries hunting is done in the same way and using the same ammunition, meaning that the issue with this type of contamination in meat is the same across the board,” Mateo points out.

Cooked pellets

The pieces were x-rayed to detect the presence of pellets and minute fragments of lead. Afterwards, the pellets in the meat were cooked and removed, as we would normally do when eating. Finally, the concentration of the metal in the food was measured using atomic absorption spectroscopy.

“Although the levels set by the EU are for meat that is consumed more frequently than game, in species like the woodcock, 5.4% of the birds cooked displayed more than 10 mg/kg, which indicates that by eating 200g of this meat on a single occasion, the tolerable weekly intake of lead for a person weighing 80g could be exceeded,” the researcher highlights.

The study concludes that the potential health risk of consuming game shot with lead could be greater than was thought up until now, especially for vulnerable groups like children and people who consume large quantities of this meat.

Vinegar increases lead contamination

Today at the conference of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), that is taking place in Seville this week, Mateo explained how the bioavailability of lead varies: “In metallic form it cannot be absorbed easily by the intestine, but when cooked, especially with recipes done in pickle, it transforms into forms of lead that can reach the blood more easily through the digestive system.”

“In big game hunting, and contrary to what is believed, the lead bullets also fragment,” explains Mateo, who, with his team, has confirmed the presence of high concentrations of lead in samples of deer and wild boar from Sierra Madrona (Ciudad Real): “Mining sites in the region can influence the results, but they alone do not explain the extremely high levels detected in some samples.”

Alternatives to lead

Lead is a heavy metal that is very toxic, which explains why its use is being restricted more and more. For the same reason, lead pellets and bullets have started to be substituted by others made from different materials.

For small game hunting steel ammunition already exists, especially recommended for use in humid areas (where there is little risk of ricochet), and in cases when shooting into the air is required, like in driven partridge shoots. When you have to aim at the ground -to shoot rabbits and hares, for example-, the alternative is pellets made from tungsten or bismuth in different compounds and alloys with metals or plastics.

For big game hunting, some countries like Germany and the United States have already started to use copper bullets. This material hardly fragments and is not as toxic as lead.

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 7th June 2010

Dangerous Chemicals In Our Homes.

Be warned.

Published on June 2, 2010

A hundred years ago, these chemicals did not even exist. Today, bisphenol A, phthalates, PFOA, formaldehyde and even PDBE (polybrominated diphenyl ether) can be found in nearly all of the millions of homes in the United States. These chemicals are used everywhere from carpets to plastic bottles to cushions and even baby mattresses. These chemicals are also added to shampoos, hair waxes, makeup… You name it and the pharmaceutical industry has been able to add these chemicals to it.

Bisphenol A

This chemical is the foundation of nearly unbreakable and clear polycarbonate plastics. Epoxy resins also contain bisphenol A. As such, this chemical is found in every plastic product that requires heat-resistant and unbreakable clear plastics, like baby bottles, clear food containers, the hard lids of jars, compact discs like DVDs and even sealants used to prevent further tooth decay.

Babies that drink milk from plastic bottles, cups and glasses have been exposed. Dental patients with sealants that have been made with bisphenol A too have absorbed the chemical. In a recent CDCP study, a staggering 93% of all test subjects were positive for bisphenol A (through urine testing).

Long term studies suggest that prolonged exposure to this chemical can affect male sexual function. Other studies point to its potentially harmful effects to the human endocrine system. It turns out that this chemical can mimic estrogen, the naturally occurring female hormone that exists in both males and females. If there is  a chemical that mimics estrogen, then the body will experience a chemical imbalance – and we all know what chemical imbalances can do to the body. According to the FDA, this chemical can also cause negative effects to fetuses.

Phthalates

Phthalates is used as a plastic softener and binding agent. This chemical is used on personal care products like shampoos & conditioners. It is also used in  materials used in interior decoration, like vinyl tiles and bathroom curtains. Drugs that are time-released are also coated with phthalates.

Because of its widespread use, the chemical is absorbed readily by the body with every use of any product that has the chemical. A new study performed by researchers from the Mount Sinai Center reported the possible link between prenatal exposure to the chemical and ADHD. In other researchers and animal studies, this chemical has also been linked to the disruption of the endocrine system and sexual development in males.

Recently, the United States government has put a ban on six types of this class of chemicals that are used on products like toys. To reduce exposure to this chemical, avoid personal care products that only list ‘fragrance’ in the list of materials or ingredients. Such products may have phthalates added. You may want personal care products that actually list what they use for fragrance – there are a lot of products from companies that do not hide the chemicals they use.

PFOA

PFOA is used to manufacture products like Teflon. As such, it is found in products that make use of Teflon, like pots, pans, ladles, etc. This chemical is also added to carpeting materials, furniture and a host of other products that are wildly disassociated with each other in function.

The chemical can be also be released into the immediate environment once the products containing it are destroyed. Current research suggests that Teflon-coated cookware tend to give off vapors, which can contaminate the food being cooked in or with the Teflon-lined wares.

The chemical can also be absorbed directly through the inhalation of polluted air. In animal trials, PFOA is a known carcinogen that actually causes cancerous growths and physical development problems. To reduce your exposure to PFOA, you may opt not to use Teflon-coated cookware  (use stainless steel pots, pans and ladles instead). Also, keep your heat to medium-high to reduce the vapors created when Teflon comes into contact with heat.

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is used in different types of adhesives, panelings, construction boards and pressed-fabric products. Exposure to this chemical is usually through direct contact with products containing the chemical. Also, cigarette smoke and car exhaust contains formaldehyde. Formaldehyde can cause allergic reactions that can affect the entire respiratory tract. To reduce exposure, furniture should be made from exterior grade wood. This doesn’t mean that the furniture will not emit formaldehyde; exterior grade wood just emits less of the chemical.

PDBE

PDBE is a class of chemicals that are added to products to reduce flammability. Products like mattresses, foams, pillows, blankets and even coverings used for furniture are ‘enhanced’ with PDBE. According to recent statistics, about twelve million pounds of the chemical is manufactured on a yearly basis – and the chemical does not break down that quickly. EPA studies show that this chemical can cause damage to people’s kidneys and livers. Since PDBE can also be inhaled through dust, remove dust produced by old and new furniture. Also, avoid buying products that list PDBE as a fire retardant.

Nature to the rescue: detoxify with wheat grass

Wheatgrass is basically a young wheat plant. For decades, the grass has been used as food by man. And there is more reasons to enjoy wheatgrass today because it actually detoxifies the body and provides other benefits as well:

1. It improves the digestive function.
2. It controls high blood pressure.
3. It increases the ability of the body to heal wounds quickly.
4. It is a natural antibiotic because it contains chlorophyll, a green pigment.
5. It helps prevent the progression of tooth decay.
6. It has been noted for its ability to delay the onset of white or gray hair.
7. It can be used as a general internal cleanser and detoxifying agent – to rid our bodies of accumulated toxins absorbed from food, water and the air.
8. It can help reduce the scarring in the lungs caused by contaminated and acidic air.
9. It is a natural blood purifier.
10. It can help reduce the swelling and pain associated with sore throat (usually caused by bacteria).
11. It is a natural sterilizing agent.
12. It is rich in vitamins and antioxidants, especially vitamin C, which improves the skin, helps protect the respiratory tract and also helps improve one’s immunity.
13. It can be used as a natural mouthwash to control odor and bacterial growth in the oral cavity.
14. It can help improve circulation in the body by improving the condition of capillaries – the smallest blood vessels in the body.
15. It acts as a chelating agent, removing heavy metals like cadmium from the body.

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha 7th June 2010

For the first time, a study has found an increase in brain cancer deaths among Gulf War veterans who might have been exposed to the nerve agent sarin by the destruction of Iraqi weapons in 1991.
About 100,000 of the 350,000 Army soldiers in the Persian Gulf could have been exposed to sarin after soldiers blew up two large ammunition caches in Khamisiyah, Iraq, in March 1991, according to a study commissioned by the military and performed by the Institute of Medicine. The institute advises the government on health policy.
At the time, the military didn’t know that the destroyed Iraqi rockets contained sarin, says Michael Kilpatrick, deputy director for the Deployment Health Support Directorate in the Department of Defense. Soldiers showed no signs of exposure to chemical warfare.
Later, however, United Nations inspectors found that some of the weapons contained sarin, which can cause convulsions and death. The military has since contacted about 300,000 veterans who were in or near areas that might have been affected. The potential “hazard area,” where shifting winds could have carried traces of chemicals, extended at times as far as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
According to the study, soldiers inside the “hazard area” were about twice as likely as those outside it to die from brain cancer. Because the actual number of brain cancer cases was small, the overall mortality rate was the same for veterans in the hazard area and outside the area, according to the study, published in the American Journal of Public Health.
Among unexposed soldiers, researchers found a brain cancer death rate of 12 per 100,000 from 1991 to 2000, says William Page, director of the study. Over the same period, researchers found 25 brain cancer deaths per 100,000 veterans who were exposed.
“It’s a doubling of risk, but it’s still a pretty small risk,” says Page, a senior program officer at the Institute of Medicine.
The study did not address “Gulf War syndrome,” as some have called the collection of ailments experienced by returning veterans. It examined whether soldiers possibly exposed to the destruction of Iraqi weapons were more likely to die for any reason. They also singled out specific diseases: breathing problems, infections, circulatory problems, digestive ailments, accidents and suicides, as well as four types of cancer.
The study’s authors note that sarin has never been shown to cause cancer. Page suggests that researchers follow veterans to see whether the risk of brain cancer, which is believed to develop over 10 to 20 years, changes over time. Page also notes that the study doesn’t prove that being in the hazard area caused brain cancer.

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 27th APRIL 2010