HOUSTON

On the football field, the neophyte fan focuses on the receiver, whose daring catch and dash for the goal line captures the attention. However, focusing on that one player means the fan misses the contributions of the quarterback, the blockers and the other players who make that run happen. The same is true in the cell, where too often a single finding about one protein, enzyme or receptor seems to solve a problem. In an online report in the journal Nucleic Acids Research (http://nar.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/02/26/nar.gkt100.long), Dr. Michael Mancini, professor in the department of molecular and cellular biology (http://www.bcm.edu/mcb/index.cfm?pmid=9330) at Baylor College of Medicine (www.bcm.edu) and his colleagues demonstrate how the interaction of two nuclear receptors – the glucocorticoid receptor and estrogen receptor alpha – modifies the transcription of DNA into RNA. In the laboratory, graduate student and first author Mike Bolt used a unique model cell system comprised of a multicopy estrogen responsive reporter gene array and high throughput microscopy to determine how estrogen receptor alpha affects DNA transcription and what other cellular components are involved. This novel system enabled them to actually see and simultaneously count the steps that the estrogen receptor took in regulating DNA transcription. “The experimental platform we developed over the last approximately six years has become ideal for measuring a wide range of biological activities at the same time, and it now can be performed at high throughput speeds,” said Mancini, who is also director of the Integrated Microscopy Core at BCM (http://www.bcm.edu/microscopy/) and the co-director of the, John S. Dunn Gulf Coast Consortia for Chemical Genomics (https://www.google.com/search?q=john+s.+dunn+gcc&hl=en&sourceid=gd&rlz=1Q1GGLD_roUS488US489). He and his colleagues found that the glucocorticoid receptor could not affect transcription at the array without the presence of another – estrogen receptor alpha. Glucocorticoid receptor was recruited to the response element through two steroid receptor coactivators (SRC-2 and SRC-3) and a mediator component called MED14. (Steroid receptor coactivators are master regulators of cellular activities.) “In this way, we identified a previously unknown mechanism through which DNA binding of one nuclear receptor can influence the binding of a different receptor (i.e., the glucocorticoid receptor) through use of coregulator intermediates that fine tunes transcriptional readout,” said Bolt. Then, with additional guidance of Dr. Fabio Stossi, assistant professor of molecular and cellular biology at BCM, he and his colleagues further studied cultured breast cancer cells to validate this cross-talk among molecules. “Often, glucocorticoids are administered to women with breast cancer together with chemotherapy in order to alleviate side effects,” said Stossi. “Here, we are performing an increasingly high throughput basic science approach to push toward a more translationally relevant system.” “If you reduce your science to one hormone, one stimulus, it physiologically underrepresents what the cell sees.  We have to see more biology at the same time to better appreciate how gene regulation works in a cellular context,” said Mancini. This finding may play a role in diseases such as Cushing’s syndrome in women, which results from exposure to high levels of cortisol and/or steroids. “Could this interplay also occur in bone where estrogen receptor alpha and glucocorticoid receptors are both expressed?” said Stossi. “According to recent literature, high glucocorticoid receptor levels reflect a better prognosis in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Could mechanisms like this be the reason?” Future work along these lines may help to explain these issues, they said.

(StatePoint)

For many of the 12 million Americans with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD, breathlessness, coughing and mucus production may not be symptoms of a nagging cold, but serious, daily effects of a progressive, irreversible lung disease that includes the respiratory illnesses chronic bronchitis and emphysema. While COPD is a leading cause of death and disability in the U.S. and worldwide, many Americans are not aware that the disease even exists. “Awareness is important to help ensure people are being diagnosed and treated properly,” said Dr. Antonio Anzueto, a pulmonary specialist and professor of medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. “Symptoms of COPD -- such as shortness of breath and a lingering cough -- can often be attributed to something else. With increased awareness, we are able to diagnose and treat COPD earlier, which can limit the amount of lung damage and help improve the quality of life for patients.”

Facts You Should Know About COPD

• COPD is the third leading cause of death in the U.S.  and kills more than 120,000 Americans each year. That’s approximately one death every four minutes. In recent years, COPD death rates for women have risen steadily. Today, more women than men die from COPD each year.

• Only half of the people living with COPD in the U.S. have been correctly diagnosed, potentially leaving an additional 12 million Americans with undiagnosed COPD. One reason for under-diagnosis is that the symptoms of COPD can be mistaken for other conditions, such as asthma, another chronic inflammatory lung disease. While COPD and asthma have similar characteristics, they are two distinct conditions with varying treatment strategies.

• Smoking is identified as the most common risk factor for COPD. However, as approximately 20 percent of smokers develop COPD, it is believed that genetic and environmental factors can also influence the risk of developing COPD. It is also now recognized that 10 to 20 percent of COPD patients have never smoked. Nonetheless, smoking accounted for as much as 90 percent of COPD-related deaths.

• The assessment of COPD should determine the severity of airflow limitation in the lungs, the impact of symptoms on a patient’s health and a patient’s future risk of events, such as a COPD flare-up or exacerbation that could lead to physician office visits or hospitalization. This evaluation helps determine the progression of disease and guide therapeutic recommendations for each patient. 

• While there is no cure for COPD, it is manageable. Lifestyle changes, such as smoking cessation, healthy eating and exercise, are recommended for COPD patients. According to Dr. Anzueto, “Shortness of breath can steer COPD patients away from exercise. However, there are many health benefits from regular exercise that can help COPD patients.” Pulmonary rehabilitation, which includes breathing strategies and exercise training, can help improve COPD symptoms. Various prescription medications are also available to help COPD patients at all stages of severity manage their disease. Dr. Anzueto recommends that COPD patients speak with their doctor about the available treatment options. “Today, treatment options are available that can help people with COPD, no matter how severe their disease,” said Dr. Anuzeto. “When medications are combined with healthy lifestyle changes, many people with COPD find that they can continue doing the things they love doing.”  For further information about treatment options and COPD, visit: www.MoreMatterswithCOPD.com.

(StatePoint)

Are you reading less than you used to? You’re not alone. Between our smartphones, endless cable channels and all those other forms of modern entertainment, it’s no wonder book-reading is on the decline amongst American adults. In fact, the percent of adults who didn’t read even one book in the previous year increased from 12 percent in 1978, to 22 percent in 2011, according to Gallup surveys. But new technologies and trends in the world of literature are making reading more entertaining and more interactive than ever before. And many experts predict this age-old pastime will grow in popularity as people catch on to the evolution of books. “Reading is often thought to be a passive activity,” says M.D. Kaczkowski, author of the new thriller, “The Seers, New World Order,” a book that is breaking new literary ground by including an interactive digital component. “But in the Internet Age, people are looking to truly engage and interact with creative content.” In the pages of “The Seers” -- a fast-paced crime drama with supernatural elements -- Kaczkowski enhances his readers’ experience with Quick Response (QR) codes that are compatible with smartphones, illustrations and video links. Sprinkled throughout the book, these elements provide a fictional platform that goes beyond the pages of the book. By accessing these elements, readers are taken to The Seers website at www.theseers.com, where they are presented with videos, audio recordings, letters and other texts that expand on the narrative. They can even choose original songs to listen to while reading different chapters and to participate in an augmented reality game that draws on their own personal environment. Other authors are even giving audiences control over content, using feedback garnered from modern “choose your own adventure” books and Internet forums for fans to help dictate future plotlines. “If you’re craving a deeper engagement with your reading, you were born in the right era,” quips Kaczkowski. “For my new thriller, for example, it made perfect sense to integrate new technologies directly into the pages of the book, since the novel combines science with spirituality.” And reading books electronically makes for a more interactive experience, too, as one can highlight text, search for key passages and look up words. If the last time you picked up a book was for a school assignment, it’s definitely time to check out how new trends in literature can put some excitement into reading.