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Histone deacetylase inhibitors, which are in clinical use as anticancer agents, also affect the biology of regulatory T cells. These inhibitors may also hold promise as immunomodulatory drugs (pages 1299–1307).
Decreased levels of activated protein C allow for kidney cell death in a mouse model of diabetic nephropathy. The findings suggest that targeting the antiapoptotic protein C pathway could counteract kidney damage in individuals with diabetes (pages 1349–1358).
A protein produced by parasitic roundworms that inhibits the inflammatory response is shown to prevent mast cell activation. The protein could potentially be used for the management of allergies and asthma (pages 1375–1381).
It can take twice as long to get a PhD in biomedical sciences in the US as it does in other countries such as the UK and Australia. Are US PhDs worth more, or are there advantages to a speedier system?
Lipopolysaccharide signaling through the Toll-like receptors downregulates an inhibitory pseudoreceptor of TGF-β, enhancing hepatic fibrosis and liver injury (pages 1324–1332).
Mesenchymal stem cells promote the dissemination of neoplastic cells in a mouse model of breast cancer. The findings sound a cautionary note for anticancer therapies that rely on these cells and provoke a re-evaluation of how metastases form.