Word: schwann
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...even a vaccine against the disease may be possible. Reporting in a paper published in the Jan. 1 issue of Science, an international team of researchers based in Australia and New York State performed a genetic analysis of DFTD and found that it likely began in the devil's Schwann cells, a type of tissue that protects nerve fibers. Researchers have also identified genetic markers for the disease, which should allow doctors to distinguish facial tumor disease easily from other cancers that afflict the Tasmanian devil, and could eventually help determine a genetic pathway to attack the tumor itself. "This...
...able to confirm that the tumors being spread from devil to devil were the same - genetically identical, exact clonal copies. Using genetic sequencing technology, the team also uncovered the tumors' transcriptome, which means the set of genes that are activated in tumors. Those activated genes best matched those of Schwann cells, which gave the team a clue as to where the disease originated - that's important because devils are unusually susceptible to a number of different cancers, and a quick diagnosis before the facial tumors get out of control would be helpful. "The real importance of this is that...
...contribute to its growth; these could be useful targets for designing a future vaccine. The difficulty will be creating a treatment that attacks the tumor, but spares healthy cells. "The key in a vaccine is not to create immune action that would hurt the devils by attacking their Schwann cells," says Papenfuss. "Now we can look for specific markers on the tumor cells to attack." Tough as they are, Tasmanian devils still need a lot of help...
Scientists are trying to get around that by fortifying Schwann grafts with cells from the olfactory bulb, a bundle of nerve tissue in the nasal cavity. Olfactory cells regenerate well, and when they are combined with Schwann cells in animals, spinal tissue does a better job of reconnecting...
Another approach the Reeve Foundation has helped fund involves treating the spinal cord with a drug called rolipram, which stops injured tissue from breaking down. Paralyzed rats treated with Schwann cells and rolipram have shown a 70% improvement in mobility. Elsewhere, researchers are working on ways to neutralize growth inhibitors, proteins in the body that--for reasons known only to nature--block the healing of spinal tissue. By synthesizing other proteins that inhibit the inhibitors, spinal cells may be freed to grow...