Research Roundup

Scientists unravel MD gene flaw

A team of scientists led by Charles Thornton, associate professor of neurology, has made a key finding about the most common form of muscular dystrophy in adults, myotonic dystrophy. The research, published in the July issue of the journal Molecular Cell, explains how a faulty gene stops the body from making a protein crucial for muscle control. While the research marks an important step forward for understanding myotonic dystrophy, the scientists say any new treatment for the disease is likely years away. "People with myotonic dystrophy should take heart. In just a few years we have gained a much better understanding of a process that up to a few years ago was a complete mystery. But there's still a great deal more work to do," says Thornton.

Cox-2 plays role in healing

Fracture a bone and take an ibuprofen--think again. New research led by Regis O'Keefe, professor of orthopaedics, calls that common practice into question. In an article published in the June issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, scientists at the Center for Musculoskeletal Research have found that the enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) plays an essential role in bone formation during skeletal repair.

O'Keefe's team showed that the ability of stem cells to form bone cells, a critical event in bone repair, is impaired in the absence of the enzyme Cox-2. In a series of tests in mice, the scientists further showed that fracture healing was significantly delayed in Cox-2-deficient mice compared to normal mice.

"This study raises concerns regarding the use of Cox-2 inhibitors in patients who suffer from bone fracture or who are undergoing other types of bone repair," O'Keefe says, adding that until further research is done, people should continue to follow the medical advice of their physicians.

Cancer pain undertreated?

A panel of 13 experts, including Paul Frame, clinical professor in the Department of Family Medicine, concluded that pain from cancer is often undertreated in at least one of every four cancer patients, despite the availability of effective interventions.

Brought together by the National Institutes of Health, the panel noted numerous factors that can interfere with pain management, including incomplete effectiveness of some treatments, a lack of sufficient knowledge regarding effective treatment strategies, patient reluctance to report symptoms to caregivers, a belief that such symptoms are simply a part of the cancer experience that must be tolerated, and inadequate coverage and reimbursement for some treatments.

Frame says the paperwork requirements for prescribing some medicines commonly used for cancer pain relief may deter some doctors from prescribing effective medications. "Sometimes practitioners don't want to go to the hassle of prescribing a triplicate drug. They may use something less effective instead."

9/11 dust, debris studied

University researchers are analyzing dust and debris samples taken from areas near the World Trade Center immediately after the September 11 terrorist attack to determine potential short- and long-term health effects for rescue workers and Manhattan residents directly exposed to ultrafine hazardous particles.

The National Institutes of Health provided $1.2 million for the project, which involves collaborative work with scientists at New York University. Jacob Finkelstein, professor of pediatrics, and Guenter Oberdoerster, professor of environmental medicine, will measure changes in gene expression when lung cells are exposed to fine and ultrafine dust particles and investigate the correlation between exposure and risk for development of infectious lung diseases. The researchers will collaborate to produce newsletters for Manhattan residents to highlight ongoing research related to the World Trade Center site.

Cell suicide discovered

In the July issue of the journal Science, Associate Professor William Bowers and Professor Howard Federoff of the Center on Aging and Developmental Biology, along with colleagues from Johns Hopkins, report a previously unknown form of cell suicide. The new discovery of the involvement of a protein that is part of the body's DNA damage surveillance network offers scientists a new focus for study.

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