Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Volume 7 Issue 1, January 2001

Stroke is commonly caused by brain artery obstruction, and the clot-busting blood protease tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is used as a stroke therapy. However, tPA has also been shown to have direct effects on neurons. On page 59 of this issue, Nicole et al. report that proteolytic activity of tpa affects NMDA receptor-mediated signaling and promotes neuronal death. The cover panels show cultures of cortical neurons undergoing cell death in response to tPA.

Volume 7 Issue 1

Subscribe

Editorial

Top of page ⤴

Letters to the Editor

Top of page ⤴

News

Top of page ⤴

Commentary

  • The complete genome sequence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, along with novel genetic tools, provides the foundation for a new era of post-genomic research. The challenge is now to translate these opportunities into an improved understanding of the complex biology of tuberculosis infection.

    • Douglas B. Young
    Commentary

  • The World Health Organization estimates that tobacco will become the largest single health problem by 2020, causing an estimated 8.4 million deaths annually. But the smoking burden will not be distributed evenly across the globe; deaths in developed nations are set to rise 50% to 2.4 million while those in Asia will soar fourfold to an estimated 4.2 million in 2020. In the face of such discrepancy, Martin Raw, Honorary Lecturer in evidence-based treatment at Guys, Kings and St Thomas' School of Medicine, London, explains why attention can not be focused solely on Asia and why efforts are still needed to stop smoking in Europe.

    • Martin Raw
    Commentary
Top of page ⤴

Book Review

Top of page ⤴

News & Views

  • The clot-busting drug tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is currently the only FDA-approved therapy for acute stroke. However, increasing evidence suggests that tPA can also contribute to excitotoxic neuronal damage in animal models of stroke. (pages 59–64)

    • Stephen F. Traynelis
    • Stuart A. Lipton
    News & Views

  • Studies in three different transgenic mouse models suggest that the amyloid β-protein contributes to memory loss in Alzheimer disease. Immunization with an amyloid β-peptide fragment reduces learning and memory impairments in mice, and this approach may eventually be used to prevent and/or treat this disease in people.

    • Steven G. Younkin
    News & Views

  • Identification of HIV-1 variants capable of entering T cells via the CD8 receptor suggests a new mode of viral pathogenesis. But are these variants rare, aberrant viruses or a real problem? (pages 65–72)

    • Bryan R. Cullen
    News & Views

  • Little is known about the mechanism by which Yops, proteins that Yersinia inject into the cytosol of macrophage, cause downregulation of the inflammatory response and diseases such as the plague. Now it appears that Yops are the first bacterial member of a new family of ubiquitin-like proteases.

    • Guy R. Cornelis
    • Geertrui Denecker
    News & Views

  • Studies on mice lacking the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) suggest that PPAR ligands reduce lipid accumulation in foamy macrophages, and may target other receptors. These findings warrant an in-depth investigation into the gene regulatory mechanisms of PPAR ligands, which are currently being developed as drugs to treat atherosclerosis and diabetes. (pages 41–47)

    • Mitchell A. Lazar
    News & Views

  • SADS, a new component of the Fas-mediated apoptotic pathway, is downregulated in patients with colon carcinoma. Could this dowregulation be a widespread mechanism of tumor cell immune evasion? (pages 88–93)

    • Hiroshi Takahashi
    News & Views

  • A new investigation into Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) pathogenesis suggests that at least part of the muscle degeneration observed in DMD patients may result from the reduced production of muscle membrane-associated neuronal nitric oxide synthase. This reduction may lead to impaired regulation of the vasoconstrictor response and eventual muscle damage.

    • Rachelle H. Crosbie
    News & Views

  • Although citrus fruits prevent and cure scurvy, they may not always be as good for you as you thought.

    • J. K. Aronson
    News & Views
Top of page ⤴

Research News

    • Kristine Novak
    • Karen Birmingham
    • Bernd Pulverer
    Research News
Top of page ⤴

Review Article

Top of page ⤴

Article

Top of page ⤴

On the Market

Top of page ⤴

Erratum

Top of page ⤴

Search

Advanced search

Quick links