Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) have found a way to target drug-resistant esophageal cancer cells by exploiting the different energy needs of cancerous versus healthy cells. This breakthrough is now opening the doorway to new treatments for an otherwise lethal cancer. The findings of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study…
A Lipid-binding Protein is a Target for New Cancer Therapies
Normal cells have a complex system of checks and balances that regulate cell division. In cancer, the balance is tipped in favor of cell proliferation. This imbalance arises from increased levels or activity of oncoproteins (proteins that promote cell growth) or decreased levels or activity of tumor suppressors (proteins that limit cell growth). For example,…
The Story of GARP: A Potential Target For Cancer Immunotherapy
Protecting Those on the Frontline From Ebola
In a world where we can travel the globe by jet, diseases that were once thought to plague faraway places can now strike close to home. The U.S. had to learn this the hard way. In 2014, a patient harboring Ebola returned home to Dallas, Texas from Liberia. Within 15 days of this person’s arrival,…
Tackling Sepsis with a Nanocarrier-delivered MicroRNA
New Drug Candidates Reverse Drug Resistance in Multiple Myeloma in Preclinical Models
In an article published online earlier in October by Leukemia, Medical University of South Carolina investigators report that a new compound enhances the efficacy of proteasome inhibitors (PIs), the standard-of-care for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), in cell culture and in preclinical models. The efficacy and safety of the novel combination regimen will need to be…
Cocaine Relapse is Reversed with BDNF Microinjections in the Brain
New Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer Shows Promise of Success
In a groundbreaking development, results from a recent clinical trial to treat lung cancer show that a novel immunotherapy combination is surprisingly effective at controlling the disease’s progression. The study, published April 4 in the journal The Lancet Oncology, focused on non-small cell lung cancer, which is the most common form of lung cancer. Immunologist John…
Frankincense Tested as Possible Breast, Colon Cancer Treatment
Th17 Cells Could Facilitate Wider Clinical Use of Adoptive Immunotherapy
Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) investigators report that long-term expansion protocols for adoptive cancer immunotherapy do not compromise Th17 cells’ effectiveness against large tumors, in the March 9, 2017 issue of JCI Insight. This finding is important because rapid expansion protocols (REPs) that are used to produce sufficient CD8+ T cell numbers for adoptive cell therapy…
Precision Medicine May Help Reduce Heavy Alcohol Drinking
Brain potassium channels may unlock future precision medicine approaches for alcoholism. A handful of FDA-approved drugs exist for treating individuals with alcohol use disorder but they have been largely ineffective at reducing the high rates of relapse. As such, there remains a critical need to identify and develop alternative pharmacological treatment options. Researchers at the…