Data on apoptosis discussed by researchers at University of Bologna
2007 NOV 21 -- "Growing evidence suggests a role for polyamines in apoptosis, although the relationship appears to be complex. alpha-Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), a largely used ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor, is cytostatic, hardly cytotoxic and may even increase the resistance of tumour cells to some apoptotic stimuli," scientists writing in the journal Amino Acids report. "This may represent a problem in cancer therapy, where the killing of tumoral cells would be a desired effect, but could be an advantage in other pathological contexts related to an excess of apoptosis, such as cardiovascular diseases, stem cell transplantation, arthritis and infections. In different cellular models, polyamine depletion following treatment with polyamine biosynthesis inhibitors appears to inhibit mitochondrial and death receptor pathways of apoptosis by affecting key proteins," wrote F. Flamigni and colleagues, University of Bologna. The researchers concluded: "These studies indicate that inhibition of polyamine biosynthesis may prevent or reduce the apoptotic response triggered by a variety of stimuli in non-tumoral cells, such as cardiac cells, stem cells, chondrocytes, macrophages and intestinal epithelial cells." Flamigni and colleagues published their study in Amino Acids (Polyamine biosynthesis as a target to inhibit apoptosis of non-tumoral cells. Amino Acids, 2007;33(2):197-202). Additional information can be obtained by contacting F. Flamigni, University of Bologna, Dept. of Biochemistry G Moruzzi, Via Irnerio 48, I-40126 Bologna, Italy. The publisher of the journal Amino Acids can be contacted at: Springer, 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013, USA. Keywords: Italy, Bologna, Apoptosis, University of Bologna. This article was prepared by Biotech Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Biotech Week via NewsRx.com.
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