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****************************************************NATURE************************************************(http://www.nature.com/nature)
[1] & {2] Unhelpful hedgehogs cause cancer
DOI: 10.1038/nature01972 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature01972) &DOI: 10.1038/nature02009 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature02009)
High levels of a protein known as Sonic hedgehog (SHH) may trigger certain forms of digestive tract tumour, according to two papers published online by Nature this week. Treatment with cyclopamine — a drug that inactivates SHH — can cause some tumours to shrink.
The Hedgehog signalling pathway specifies patterns of cell growth and development in a wide variety of embryonic tissues. High levels of activity are seen in many digestive tract tumours — including those originating in the oesophagus, stomach, biliary tract and pancreas — according to Philip A. Beachy and colleagues. In their study, mice carrying human biliary duct tumours responded to treatment with cyclopamine. Their tumours shrank completely after 12 days of treatment. In a second study, Sarah P. Thayer and colleagues report a similar effect of cyclopamine in mice with pancreatic tumours.
Both groups suspect that certain Hedgehog-related tumours are not caused by genetic mutation in the signalling pathway, rather they may be caused by high levels of a secreted molecule that activates the pathway. Thayer's team found that mice with high levels of one such molecule — known as Sonic hedgehog — developed abnormal tubular structures in their pancreata. These tumours resembled some early forms of human pancreatic cancer.
Collectively, both studies highlight the importance of the Hedgehog signalling pathway in certain digestive tract tumours. The pathway may have an early and critical role in cancer formation.
**********************************************NATURE MATERIALS**************************************(http://www.nature.com/naturematerials)
[3] Lighting the way by design
DOI: 10.1038/nmat979 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nmat979)
The ability of synthetic photonic crystals to manipulate light — to exclude light of a certain wavelength from a 'bandgap' for example — depends crucially on their structure. So, there have been many attempts, since they were first proposed in 1987, to find new crystal structures and therefore new photonic materials. None, however, have been as thorough as Edwin Thomas and colleagues at MIT. In the October issue of Nature Materials, they explore all possible permutations of a specific crystal type, and make some unexpected discoveries.
Thomas and colleagues take a mathematical approach that allows them to consider all possible structures based on the face-centred-cubic crystal lattice. As a result, they identify three basic geometries having photonic bandgaps — two of these correspond to the diamond-like and 'inverse opal' structures already familiar to photonic researchers. But the third has a bandgap in a different part of the spectrum, and is unlike any photonic crystal seen before.
Making practical photonic crystals from these predicted geometries will depend on finding suitable materials and simple fabrication techniques. But with these new models to guide them, the design process should be much more efficient. Thomas and co-workers also intend to explore another crystal type — bulk-centred-cubic crystals — to see what surprises they have to offer.
Other papers from Nature Materials to be published online at the same time and with the same embargo:
[4] Multifunctional nanorods for gene delivery(DOI: 10.1038/nmat974) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nmat974)
[5] Mechanism of superconductivity in the polyhedral-network compound Ba8Si46(DOI: 10.1038/nmat981) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nmat981)
***************************************************************************************************************Items from other Nature journals to be published online at the same time and with the same embargo:
NATURE MEDICINE (http://www.nature.com/naturemedicine)
[6] Identification of PDGFR as a receptor for AAV-5 transduction(DOI: 10.1038/nm929) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nm929)
[7] Beta1-adrenergic receptor polymorphisms confer differential function and predisposition to heart failure(DOI: 10.1038/nm930) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nm930)
[8] Fc-dependent depletion of activated T cells occurs through CD40L-specific antibody rather than costimulation blockade(DOI: 10.1038/nm931) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nm931)
[9] Differential requirement for CD18 in T-helper effector homing(DOI: 10.1038/nm932) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nm932)
NATURE GENETICS (http://www.nature.com/naturegenetics)
[10] A novel ubiquitin ligase is deficient in Fanconi anemia(DOI: 10.1038/ng1241) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ng1241)
[11] Evolutionary conservation of motif constituents in the yeast protein interaction network(DOI: 10.1038/ng1242) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ng1242)
NATURE NEUROSCIENCE (http://www.nature.com/natureneuroscience)
[12] Defects in synaptic vesicle docking in unc-18 mutants(DOI: 10.1038/nn1118) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nn1118)
[13] Developmental acquisition of sensory transduction in hair cells of the mouse inner ear(DOI: 10.1038/nn1120) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nn1120)
[14] Osmometry in osmosensory neurons(DOI: 10.1038/nn1124) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nn1124)
[15] Limbic corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 mediates anxiety-related behavior and hormonal adaptation to stress(DOI: 10.1038/nn1123) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nn1123)
NATURE IMMUNOLOGY (http://www.nature.com/natureimmunology)
[16] Caspase3 regulates cell cycle in B cells: a consequence of substrate specificity (DOI: 10.1038/ni976) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ni976)
[17] LAT regulates gamma delta T cell homeostasis and differentiation (DOI: 10.1038/ni977) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ni977)
NATURE STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY (http://www.nature.com/naturestructuralbiology)
[18] Configuration of the two kinesin motor domains during ATP hydrolysis (DOI: 10.1038/nsb984) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nsb984)
[19] Crystal structure of the nickel-responsive transcription factor NikR (DOI: 10.1038/nsb985) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nsb985)
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GEOGRAPHICAL LISTING OF AUTHORS
The following list of places refers to the whereabouts of authors on the papers numbered in this release. The listing may be for an author's main affiliation, or for a place where they are working temporarily. Please see the PDF of the paper for full details.
CANADAMontreal: 14Toronto: 16
CHINAHong Kong: 16
FRANCEGrenoble: 17Marseille: 17Paris: 12
GERMANYMunich: 15Neuherberg: 15
JAPANHigashi-Hiroshima: 5Kyoto: 1Nagoya: 5Osaka: 5Saitama: 5Yokohama: 5
THE NETHERLANDSAmsterdam: 10
SPAINMurcia: 17
UNITED KINGDOMLondon: 8
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
California San Francisco: 2Illinois Chicago: 11, 12Indiana Notre Dame: 11Iowa Iowa City: 6Maryland Baltimore: 1, 4, 10 Bethesda: 6 Frederick: 6Massachusetts Boston: 2 Cambridge: 3, 19Missouri St Louis: 12, 19New York Bronx: 18Ohio Cincinnati: 7Oregon Portland: 10Texas Beaumont: 9 Galveston: 9 Houston: 9, 10Utah Salt Lake City: 12Virginia Charlottesville: 13
PRESS CONTACTS"¦
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