Navigation Links
U of Minnesota researcher discovers the starting point of sun-induced skin cancer
Date:5/14/2008

According to a new study from the University of Minnesota, the earliest event in the development of sun-induced skin cancer may have been identified. The researchers found that the point of entry for skin cancer in response to sun exposure is in receptor molecules, molecular "hooks" on the outer surface of cells that also pull cannabinoid compounds found in marijuana out of the bloodstream. The research appears in the May 15 issue of Cancer Research.

"The question at the core of this research was, 'Why does ultraviolet light induce skin cancer?'" said lead researcher Zigang Dong, a professor of cellular and molecular biology and director of the university's Hormel Institute, which supported the study. "The idea is to find an agent that can prevent skin cancers after exposure to the sun."

The receptor molecules are protein structures that are components of cells's outer membranes. Acting like receiving docks, their function is to catch specific compounds from the blood and enable the cells to engulf or otherwise interact with the compounds. Receptors have been identified for many substances, including hormones and other chemical signals that regulate what cells do.

The researchers found that two receptors for cannabinoids also responded to UV light. They made the discovery during a search for the initial interaction between UV light and human skin cells.

The researchers began their search with plant cells because plants must interact with UV light in order to harness its energy for photosynthesis. They concluded that the UV receptors in plants ought to be similar to any found in humans, and, therefore, the genes for the plant and human receptors must also be similar. When they compared plant genes for UV receptors to human genetic material, they found that the human genes for cannabinoid receptors matched.

If cannabinoid receptors are important in the initiation of skin cancer by UV light, then animals that lack the
'/>"/>

Contact: Patty Mattern
mattern@umn.edu
612-624-2801
University of Minnesota
Source:Eurekalert

1

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related medicine news :

1. Securians Minnesota Life Continues to Climb Group Life Rankings
2. Fresh Air Campaign to Showcase Minnesotans Love of Smoke-Free Air
3. Four Minnesota Hospitals Rate High For Patient Safety and Quality
4. First-in-the-Nation Health Care Billing Policy Announced in Minnesota
5. Help is Available for Smokers Who Want to Quit as Minnesotas Smoke-Free Law Takes Effect Oct. 1
6. Maryland, Minnesota Go Smoke-free Oct. 1 - Pennsylvania Overdue in Following Suit
7. New National Medicaid Study: Minnesota Under Funds Seniors Nursing Home Care $167 Million Annually
8. Blue Cross and Partners to Host Combat Stress Conference for Minnesotas Health Care Professionals
9. TV Documentary Examines Three Decades of Tobacco Politics, Policies and People in Minnesota
10. Minneapolis Hosts National Conference on Tobacco or Health October 24-26 on Heels of Minnesotas Statewide, Smoke-Free Law
11. Mayo Clinic Calls for Thorough Review of Canadian Pacifics Acquisition of the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:12/2/2008)...ewswire/ -- Ingenious Med (IM) welcomes new CEO, S...in inpatient practice,management solutions, with ...,software, revenue management, medical services, ...e-year CEO, Dr. Steven Liu, is confident Williford...nt in all sectors, as he steps into,the role. Liu...
(Date:12/2/2008)... who took it in first 3 months more likely to have...ealthDay News) -- Infants whose mothers take folic...increased risk for respiratory illness, according ...o reduce the risk of birth defects, and many count... researchers examined data on more than 32,000 chi...
(Date:12/2/2008)...earchers at The University of Nottingham has ident...er. , The research, published in the journal Pr...A and funded by a 72,000 grant from the British Lu...r gene, LIMD1, is responsible for protecting the b...r possible new treatments and early screening tech...
(Date:12/2/2008)...cs, Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical compa...s evaluating its lead investigational product cand...1, a novel, proprietary fixed-dose combination pro...ated a statistically significant reduction in the ...(NSAID)-induced upper gastrointestinal (gastric an...
Breaking Medicine News(10 mins):Health News:Ingenious Med Hires New CEO to Maintain and Further Expand Company Development 2Health News:Folate in Early Pregnancy May Boost Wheezing in Baby 2Health News:Gene which protects against lung cancer identified 2Health News:Horizon Therapeutics announces 2 pivotal HZT-501 Phase 3 trials meet primary endpoints 2
...ystatin C test appears to be a good alternative fo...ular disease, that the creatinine test might miss/...ancisco VA Medical Center, has shown the inefficac... is incapable of picking up chronic health risks a...
...rchers from the US have shown that yellow plant pi...oping// age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Th...ity of Wisconsin, which has been published in the ...carrots might not actually help a person in the da...
...perimental RNA-based drug acts by using genetic ma..., and another type, called silencing RNA// , to st...s alive, thereby destroying prostate cancer cells ... The drug, developed at Duke University Medical C...
...aining popularity of unpasteurized milk has raised... While people consume unpasteurized milk for a var...g that unpasteurized milk are healthier and tastie... who consume it do fall sick. There been have ins...
Other Medicine News:Health News:Cystatin C Test- A Reliable Test to Detect Chronic Health Risks 2Health News:Cystatin C Test- A Reliable Test to Detect Chronic Health Risks 3Health News:Yellow Fruits And Vegetables Help In Fight Against Loss Of Eyesight 2
(Date:12/1/2008)...irl with Hypophosphatasia Treated With ENB-0040 at...nnipeg , , MONTREAL, Dec. 1 ...ny focused on developing novel therapeutics for se...st infant patient in its clinical program for hypo...zyme Replacement Therapy (ERT) with ENB-0040 for t...
(Date:12/1/2008)...TH MEETING, Pa., Dec. 1 ...nced that dosing of subjects has begun in study MS...se Phase 1b study of trodusquemine (MSI-1436) in o...a novel therapeutic for the treatment of type 2 di...herally to regulate insulin and leptin pathways th...
(Date:12/1/2008)...A, Dec. 1 GeoVax Labs, I...biotechnology company developing,human vaccines f...y Virus) and,other infectious agents, announced t...e Trials will take place in twelve sites across No... in collaboration with The National Institutes of,...
(Date:11/30/2008)...O, Dec. 1 Abnormalities...ted in children with autism spectrum disorder by u...study presented today at the annual meeting of the... , "Using MEG, we can record the tiny magneti...," said Timothy Roberts, Ph.D., vice chair of rese...
Breaking Medicine Technology:Enobia Initiates Infantile Enzyme Replacement Trial for Rare Bone Disease 2Enobia Initiates Infantile Enzyme Replacement Trial for Rare Bone Disease 3Enobia Initiates Infantile Enzyme Replacement Trial for Rare Bone Disease 4Enobia Initiates Infantile Enzyme Replacement Trial for Rare Bone Disease 5Genaera Begins Phase 1b Trial of Trodusquemine (MSI-1436) in Overweight and Obese Type 2 Diabetics 2Genaera Begins Phase 1b Trial of Trodusquemine (MSI-1436) in Overweight and Obese Type 2 Diabetics 3GeoVax's Phase 2a HIV/AIDS Vaccine Human Trials to Begin in North and South America 2GeoVax's Phase 2a HIV/AIDS Vaccine Human Trials to Begin in North and South America 3Brain Waves Show Sound Processing Abnormalities in Autistic Children 2Brain Waves Show Sound Processing Abnormalities in Autistic Children 3Disability payments may spur drug abuse 14 1Disability payments may spur drug abuse 14 2MRI finds breast cancer before it becomes dangerous 9 1MRI finds breast cancer before it becomes dangerous 9 2MRI finds breast cancer before it becomes dangerous 9 3Survival differences by race most apparent in advanced stages of breast cancer 4 1Survival differences by race most apparent in advanced stages of breast cancer 4 2New Study Proves That Minimally Invasive Aneurysm Treatment Yields Successful Long Term Results 96 1New Study Proves That Minimally Invasive Aneurysm Treatment Yields Successful Long Term Results 96 2New Study Proves That Minimally Invasive Aneurysm Treatment Yields Successful Long Term Results 96 3
...ginal Vibratome Semi-Automatic Tissue Sectioning S...d tissue sectioning system. Researchers from aroun...sic for their fresh and fresh fixed tissue section...Automatic Tissue Sectioning Systems, the biologica...
...ratome 1000 Plus Sectioning System provides a vers...or plant tissues. The 1000 employs a vibrating bl...zing or embedding. The creation of artifacts, the...me activities, and other deleterious effects inher...
The Vibratome comes standard with a square vice mounting device. These specimen blocks are utilized for mounting specimens and placing in the Vibratome holding vice. The blocks are annodized black
This is a perfect tool for retrieving free floating sections from the Vibratome bath.
Medicine Products: