Archive for the ‘Gene Therapy Research’ Category

By Alicia Chang

Calories. Nutrients. Serving size. How about "produced with genetic engineering"?

California voters will soon decide whether to require certain raw and processed foods to carry such a label.

In a closely watched test of consumers' appetite for genetically modified foods, the special label is being pushed by organic farmers and advocates who are concerned about what people eat even though the federal government and many scientists contend such foods are safe.

More than just food packaging is at stake. The outcome could reverberate through American agriculture, which has long tinkered with the genes of plants to reduce disease, ward off insects and boost the food supply.

International food and chemical conglomerates, including Monsanto and DuPont, have contributed about US$35 million to defeat Proposition 37 on the November ballot. It also would ban labelling or advertising genetically altered food as "natural". Its supporters have raised just about one-tenth of that amount.

If voters approve the initiative, California would become the first state to require disclosure of a broad range of foods containing genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. Food makers would have to add a label or reformulate their products to avoid it. Supermarkets would be charged with making sure their shelves are stocked with correctly labelled items.

Genetically altered plants grown from seeds engineered in the laboratory have been a mainstay for more than a decade. Much of the corn, soybean, sugar beets and cotton cultivated in the United States today have been tweaked to resist pesticides or insects. Most of the biotech crops are used for animal feed or as ingredients in processed foods including cookies, cereal, potato chips and salad dressing.

Proponents say explicit labelling gives consumers information about how a product is made and allows them to decide whether to choose foods with genetically modified ingredients.

"They're fed up. They want to know what's in their food," said Stacy Malkan, spokeswoman for the California Right to Know campaign.

View original post here:
Genetic labelling mooted in California

Editor's Choice Main Category: Cardiovascular / Cardiology Also Included In: Heart Disease Article Date: 06 Oct 2012 - 0:00 PDT

Current ratings for: New Faulty Gene Explains Sudden Cardiac Death

Frequently over the last years, healthy young people have experienced sudden cardiac death, and many doctors are confused as to why the heart abruptly stopped beating.

Researchers from Denmark have found a gene mutation that can cause serious heart disease or sudden cardiac death in both adults and children.

Professor Anders Borglum and his team, whose study was published in The American Journal of Human Genetics, believe their new discovery could explain some extremely publicized cases of young athletes suddenly dropping dead during sporting events.

The causes of these deaths are normally put down to "unknown heart disease". These cases cannot directly be attributed to this new disease gene just yet, but the possibility is not unimaginable.

This particular study was the result of years of detective work. A family in Sweden was suffering from heart issues, with two healthy boys ages 13 and 15 both experiencing sudden cardiac death during sporting events. Doctors were certain that the heart problems had to be hereditary. However, the family did not have the genetic mutation that was known to cause cardiac conditions. The Swedish doctors decided to collaborate with Danish researchers to solve this puzzle.

Associate Professor Mette Nyegaard, of Aarhus University's Department of Human Genetics, who was involved in the project said:

The mutation was located in the calmodulin, a gene which acts as rules for the body's production of a critical protein. Scientists have previously been aware of certain genes which can cause sudden cardiac death, but calmodulin was never one of them until now.

The researchers are currently studying the prevalence of the newly discovered gene mutation. They examine blood samples of large groups of patients with heart problems from unknown causes.

Go here to see the original:
New Faulty Gene Explains Sudden Cardiac Death

October 6, 2012 in Nation/World

Alicia Chang Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) Calories. Nutrients. Serving size. How about produced with geneticengineering?

California voters will soon decide whether to require certain raw and processed foods to carry such alabel.

In a closely watched test of consumers appetite for genetically modified foods, the special label is being pushed by organic farmers and advocates who are concerned about what people eat even though the federal government and many scientists contend such foods aresafe.

More than just food packaging is at stake. The outcome could reverberate through American agriculture, which has long tinkered with the genes of plants to reduce disease, ward off insects and boost the foodsupply.

International food and chemical conglomerates, including Monsanto Co. and DuPont Co., have contributed about $35 million to defeat Proposition 37 on the November ballot. It also would ban labeling or advertising genetically altered food as natural. Its supporters have raised just about one-tenth of thatamount.

If voters approve the initiative, California would become the first state to require disclosure of a broad range of foods containing genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. Food makers would have to add a label or reformulate their products to avoid it. Supermarkets would be charged with making sure their shelves are stocked with correctly labeleditems.

Genetically altered plants grown from seeds engineered in the laboratory have been a mainstay for more than a decade. Much of the corn, soybean, sugar beets and cotton cultivated in the United States today have been tweaked to resist pesticides or insects. Most of the biotech crops are used for animal feed or as ingredients in processed foods including cookies, cereal, potato chips and saladdressing.

View original post here:
Calif. initiative will test appetite for GMO food - Sat, 06 Oct 2012 PST

LOS ANGELES -- Calories. Nutrients. Serving size. How about produced with genetic engineering?

California voters will soon decide whether to require certain raw and processed foods to carry such a label.

In a closely watched test of consumers appetite for genetically modified foods, the special label is being pushed by organic farmers and advocates who are concerned about what people eat even though the federal government and many scientists contend such foods are safe.

More than just food packaging is at stake. The outcome could reverberate through American agriculture, which has long tinkered with the genes of plants to reduce disease, ward off insects and boost the food supply.

International food and chemical conglomerates, including Monsanto Co. and DuPont Co., have contributed about $35 million to defeat Proposition 37 on the November ballot. It also would ban labeling or advertising genetically altered food as natural. Its supporters have raised just about one-tenth of that amount.

If voters approve the initiative, California would become the first state to require disclosure of a broad range of foods containing genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. Food makers would have to add a label or reformulate their products to avoid it. Supermarkets would be charged with making sure their shelves are stocked with correctly labeled items.

Genetically altered plants grown from seeds engineered in the laboratory have been a mainstay for more than a decade. Much of the corn, soybean, sugar beets and cotton cultivated in the United States today have been tweaked to resist pesticides or insects. Most of the biotech crops are used for animal feed or as ingredients in processed foods including cookies, cereal, potato chips and salad dressing.

Proponents say explicit labeling gives consumers information about how a product is made and allows them to decide whether to choose foods with genetically modified ingredients.

Theyre fed up. They want to know whats in their food, said Stacy Malkan, spokeswoman for the California Right to Know campaign.

Agribusiness, farmers and retailers oppose the initiative, claiming it would lead to higher grocery bills and leave the state open to frivolous lawsuits. Kathy Fairbanks, spokeswoman for the No on 37 campaign, said labels would be interpreted as a warning and confuse shoppers.

See original here:
California to vote on 'genetically modified' labels

LOS ANGELES (AP) Calories. Nutrients. Serving size. How about "produced with genetic engineering?"

California voters will soon decide whether to require certain raw and processed foods to carry such a label.

In a closely watched test of consumers' appetite for genetically modified foods, the special label is being pushed by organic farmers and advocates who are concerned about what people eat even though the federal government and many scientists contend such foods are safe.

More than just food packaging is at stake. The outcome could reverberate through American agriculture, which has long tinkered with the genes of plants to reduce disease, ward off insects and boost the food supply.

International food and chemical conglomerates, including Monsanto Co. and DuPont Co., have contributed about $35 million to defeat Proposition 37 on the November ballot. It also would ban labeling or advertising genetically altered food as "natural." Its supporters have raised just about one-tenth of that amount.

If voters approve the initiative, California would become the first state to require disclosure of a broad range of foods containing genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. Food makers would have to add a label or reformulate their products to avoid it. Supermarkets would be charged with making sure their shelves are stocked with correctly labeled items.

Genetically altered plants grown from seeds engineered in the laboratory have been a mainstay for more than a decade. Much of the corn, soybean, sugar beets and cotton cultivated in the United States today have been tweaked to resist pesticides or insects. Most of the biotech crops are used for animal feed or as ingredients in processed foods including cookies, cereal, potato chips and salad dressing.

Proponents say explicit labeling gives consumers information about how a product is made and allows them to decide whether to choose foods with genetically modified ingredients.

"They're fed up. They want to know what's in their food," said Stacy Malkan, spokeswoman for the California Right to Know campaign.

Agribusiness, farmers and retailers oppose the initiative, claiming it would lead to higher grocery bills and leave the state open to frivolous lawsuits. Kathy Fairbanks, spokeswoman for the No on 37 campaign, said labels would be interpreted as a warning and confuse shoppers.

Go here to read the rest:
Calif. initiative will test appetite for GMO food

Public release date: 4-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Katrina Coutts k.coutts@qmul.ac.uk Queen Mary, University of London

Researchers from Queen Mary, University of London have developed a new gene test that can detect pre-cancerous cells in patients with benign-looking mouth lesions. The test could potentially allow at-risk patients to receive earlier treatment, significantly improving their chance of survival.

The study, published online in the International Journal of Cancer, showed that the quantitative Malignancy Index Diagnostic System (qMIDS) test had a cancer detection rate of 91-94 per cent when used on more than 350 head and neck tissue specimens from 299 patients in the UK and Norway. Mouth cancer affects more than 6,200 people in the UK each year and more than half a million people worldwide, with global figures estimated to rise above one million a year by 2030*. The majority of cases are caused by either smoking or chewing tobacco and drinking alcohol.

Mouth lesions are very common and only five to 30 per cent may turn into cancers. If detected in the early stages treatment can be curative, but until now no test has been able to accurately detect which lesions will become cancerous.

The current diagnostic gold standard is histopathology where biopsy tissue taken during an operation is examined under a microscope by a pathologist . This is a relatively invasive procedure and many mouth cancers are being diagnosed at later stages when the chances of survival are significantly reduced. For patients presenting with advanced disease, survival rates are poor (10-30 per cent at five years).

Lead investigator and inventor of the test Dr Muy-Teck Teh, from the Institute of Dentistry at Queen Mary, University of London, said: "A sensitive test capable of quantifying a patient's cancer risk is needed to avoid the adoption of a 'wait-and-see' intervention. Detecting cancer early, coupled with appropriate treatment can significantly improve patient outcomes, reduce mortality and alleviate long-term public healthcare costs."

The qMIDS test measures the levels of 16 genes which are converted, via a diagnostic algorithm, into a "malignancy index" which quantifies the risk of the lesion becoming cancerous. It is less invasive than the standard histopathology methods as it requires only a 1-2 mm piece of tissue (less than half a grain of rice), and it takes less than three hours to get the results, compared to up to a week for standard histopathology.

Consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Professor Iain Hutchison, founder of Saving Faces and co-author on the study, said: "We are excited about this new test as it will allow us to release patients with harmless lesions from regular follow-up and unnecessary anxiety, whilst identifying high-risk patients at an early stage and giving them appropriate treatment. Mouth cancer, if detected early when the disease is most receptive to surgical treatment, has a very high cure rate."

Dr Catherine Harwood, a consultant dermatologist and a co-author on the study, said: "Our preliminary studies have shown promising results indicating that the test can potentially also be used for identifying patients with suspicious skin or vulva lesions, offering the opportunity of earlier and less invasive treatments."

More here:
New gene test detects early mouth cancer risk

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/gzsjsl/handbook_of) has announced the addition of the "Handbook of Metastatic Breast Cancer" book to their offering.

About one third of women diagnosed with breast cancer will develop metastatic disease and subsequently die from their advanced breast cancer. Recent developments with novel systemic drugs, palliative surgical techniques and diagnostic imaging have given hope for the treatment of patients whose breast cancer has spread beyond its primary tumour.

Written by a team from leading cancer centres in Europe, including the UK's Royal Marsden Hospital, the Handbook of Metastatic Breast Cancer, Second Edition provides advanced scientific information and guidance on clinical problems associated with metastatic breast cancer.

Highlights of the Second Edition include:

- New chapters on specialist treatment options, gene expression signatures, biomarkers, and specialist support services for patients and their families

- Significant updates to chapters discussing systemic treatments for breast cancer, including endocrine therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and bisphosphonates

- Up-to-date information on diagnostic imaging and tumour assessment, including positron emission tomography and computed tomography

- Up-to-date information on local treatment options for neurological, thoracic, orthopaedic, and hepatic complications

This handbook will be a practical and comprehensive resource for medical and clinical oncologists, breast surgeons and radiologists, as well as neurosurgeons, clinical scientists, orthopaedic and thoracic surgeons.

Read more:
Research and Markets: Handbook of Metastatic Breast Cancer

THURSDAY, Oct. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers who discovered genetic risk factors linked to uterine fibroids in white women say their findings will lead to new screening and treatment methods for the condition.

Uterine fibroids are the most common type of pelvic tumor in women -- they occur in 75 percent of women of reproductive age -- and the leading cause of hysterectomy in the United States. Uterine fibroids can lead to abnormal vaginal bleeding, infertility, pelvic pain and pregnancy complications.

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston analyzed genetic data from more than 7,000 white women and identified variations in three genes that are significantly associated with uterine fibroids.

One of these variations occurred in a gene called FASN, which encodes a protein called FAS (fatty acid synthase). Further investigation showed that FAS protein production was three times higher in uterine fibroid samples compared to normal tissue, according to the report published online Oct. 4 in the American Journal of Human Genetics.

Overproduction of FAS protein occurs in various types of tumors and is believed to be important for tumor cell survival, the study authors pointed out in a hospital news release.

"Our discovery foretells a path to personalized medicine for women who have a genetic basis for development of uterine fibroids," senior study author Cynthia Morton, director of the Center for Uterine Fibroids, said in the news release. "Identification of genetic risk factors may provide valuable insight into medical management," she concluded.

-- Robert Preidt

Copyright 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

SOURCE: Brigham and Women's Hospital, news release, Oct. 4, 2012

Read more:
Scientists Uncover Genetic Link for Uterine Fibroids

Public release date: 5-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jenny Eriksen Leary jenny.eriksen@bmc.org 617-638-6841 Boston University Medical Center

(Boston) Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) investigators have led the first genome-wide evaluation of genetic variants associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). The study, which is published online in PLOS ONE, points to the involvement of specific genes and alterations in their expression as influencing the risk for developing PD.

Jeanne Latourelle, DSc, assistant professor of neurology at BUSM, served as the study's lead author and Richard H. Myers, PhD, professor of neurology at BUSM, served as the study's principal investigator and senior author.

A recent paper by the PD Genome Wide Association Study Consortium (PDGC) confirmed that an increased risk for PD was seen in individuals with genetic variants in or near the genes SNCA, MAPT, GAK/DGKQ, HLA and RIT2, but the mechanism behind the increased risk was not determined.

"One possible effect of the variants would be to change the manner in which a gene is expressed in the brains, leading to increased risk of PD," said Latourelle.

To investigate the theory, the researchers examined the relationship between PD-associated genetic variants and levels of gene expression in brain samples from the frontal cortex of 26 samples with known PD and 24 neurologically healthy control samples. Gene expression was determined using a microarray that screened effects of genetic variants on the expression of genes located very close to the variant, called cis-effects, and genes that are far from the variant, such as those on a completely different chromosome, called trans-effects.

An analysis of the cis-effects showed that several genetic variants in the MAPT region showed a significant association to the expression of multiple nearby genes, including gene LOC644246, the duplicated genes LRRC37A and LRRC37A2 and the gene DCAKD. Significant cis-effects were also observed between variants in the HLA region on chromosome 6 and two nearby genes HLA-DQA1 and HLA-DQA1. An examination of trans-effects revealed 23 DNA sequence variations that reached statistical significance involving variants from the SNCA, MAPT and RIT2 genes.

"The identification of the specific altered genes in PD opens opportunities to further study them in model organisms or cell lines with the goal of identifying drugs which may rectify the defects as treatment for PD," said Myers.

###

Read more from the original source:
BUSM study investigates genetic variants' role in increasing Parkinson's disease risk

Washington, October 6 (ANI): Researchers have revealed that an African mosquito species with a deadly capacity to transmit malaria has a perplexing evolutionary history.

According to the new study by Igor Sharakhov from the Fralin Life Science Institute at Virginia Tech and Maryam Kamali of Tehran, closely related African mosquito species originated the ability to transmit human malaria multiple times during their recent evolution.

The discovery could have implications for malaria control by enabling researchers to detect and target specific genetic changes associated with the capacity to transmit a parasite.

Malaria causes as many as 907,000 deaths each year, mostly among children in sub-Saharan Africa. Anopheles mosquitoes, which bite mainly between dusk and dawn, transmit human malaria by spreading Plasmodium parasites that multiply in the human liver and infect red blood cells.

But of the more than 400 species of mosquito belonging to the Anopheles genus, only about 20 are effective vectors of human malaria, according to the World Health Organization.

The most dangerous of these is the Anopheles gambiae mosquito species, one of seven in the Anopheles gambiae complex, which was thought to have recently evolved the ability to transmit malaria.

However, Virginia Tech scientists' discoveries suggest that this species is actually genetically linked to an older, ancestral lineage.

Scientists used chromosomal analysis to compare gene arrangements for mosquitoes both inside and outside the Anopheles gambiae family to trace the evolutionary connections.

"The outside species served as a reference group for understanding the evolutionary relationship among Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes," Kamali said.

"Our goal was to determine how different species arose in the Anopheles gambiae complex, as they all look identical, but have different behaviours and capacities to transmit human malaria," Kamali said.

Read the original here:
Mosquito genetics 'may offer clues to malaria control'

By Carolyn Y. Johnson, Globe Staff

George Church, the genetics professor at Harvard Medical School who leads an effort to analyze and share the genomes of 100,000 people, ventured far from his Longwood Medical Area laboratory to appear on The Colbert Report last night.

Instead of fielding questions about the scientific details of his work, DNA sequencing, or the many companies and technologies he has built over the years, Church gamely answered questions like, How do you think your work will eventually destroy all mankind? and Are you playing God, sir? Because you certainly have the beard for it.

Church held his own against Colberts typical onslaught of banter and questions as he explained his efforts to create new organisms that could solve real-world problems, for example, by providing alternative fuel sources. He also spoke about the Personal Genome Project, which aims to share the genes, environments, and traits of thousands of people with the world.

Colbert was quick to propose an alternative method to accomplish the same goal: Theres another way to do that, and it involves getting it on.

Church laughed and said he wanted to be able to analyze the data with a computer.

Church was there to promote his new book, Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves, and Colbert summarized it as describing the work of Church and colleagues -- Im not going to say mad scientists, Im going to say highly inventive scientists.

At the end of the segment, Church reached into his jacket and handed Colbert a tiny vial with a slip of paper inside, including a dot circled in red. Church explained he had taken his book, used a code to create a DNA version of it, and then made 20 million DNA copies of the nearly-300 page book, then deposited all those copies on the slip of paper.

Colbert looked from the hardback copy of the book in one hand to the slip of paper with interest, astonishment, and then a gleam of mischief, as he moved it toward his open mouth. Church lunged across the table to stop him from eating his words.

Read the original here:
George Church, Harvard genetics professor, banters with Stephen Colbert

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Cytori Therapeutics (CYTX) announced that three oral presentations related to its cell therapy are being presented today at the 10th annual International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Sciences meeting. The findings provide insights into the mechanisms-of-action for Cytoris cell therapy. One study identified high levels of micro-RNA (miRNA) markers in human tissue thought to play a role in the repair of tissue injury resulting from ischemia, or lack of blood flow. Two additional characterization and comparative analysis studies on human tissue reaffirmed cellular characteristics of Cytoris cell therapy and distinguished the safety, viability and cell make-up as compared to cell outputs derived from alternate approaches.

Results from all three studies have important implications for how the cells repair injured tissue and on the safety and viability of cell-based treatments derived from adipose tissue, said John Fraser, Ph.D., Chief Scientist of Cytori Therapeutics. Mechanisms identified in our miRNA analysis are consistent with our prior clinical and preclinical data, which suggest these mechanisms include angiogenesis, immune-modulation, and remodeling and wound repair. The miRNA study provides baseline data, which we can apply to our U.S. ATHENA clinical trial in refractory heart failure patients and other activities including our recently announced contract with BARDA for thermal burns.

In one study, miRNA profiles were assessed in adipose-derived stem and regenerative cells (ADRCs) derived from human tissue samples. The purpose was to determine which miRNA markers are expressed, miRNA variability from patient to patient, cellular functions of miRNA, and to establish a baseline miRNA population on healthy patients to compare against patients with a specific disease. Specifically, miRNA markers associated with angiogenesis, tissue remodeling and wound repair, and modulation of the immune response were found to be highly represented in ADRCs.

Our two additional characterization and comparative analysis studies evaluated alternate processing techniques and reaffirmed our proprietary enzyme-based process using Celution is the clear gold standard, added Dr. Fraser. If the composition of a cell population extracted from adipose tissue by an alternative process is not equivalent to Cytoris ADRC population, one cannot claim equivalence to ADRCs in terms of safety or efficacy in preclinical or clinical outcomes.

The characterization and comparative analysis studies reaffirmed the high cell yield and viability as well as the heterogeneity in Cytoris cell therapy approach. Cytoris cells are derived with a proprietary formulation of clinical grade enzymes which break up the connective tissue and which are removed at the end of the process. Cytoris cell mixture includes adipose-derived stem cells, based on the measure of colony forming units, and a high yield of CD34+ cells. By contrast, data in these studies showed that alternate approaches such as ultrasound or emulsification, contained little to no adipose-derived stem cells, a high concentration of red and white blood cells, and did not meet the key criteria for safe clinical use.

About Cytori

Cytori Therapeutics, Inc. is developing cell therapies based on autologous adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs) to treat cardiovascular disease and repair soft tissue defects. Our scientific data suggest ADRCs improve blood flow, moderate the immune response and keep tissue at risk of dying alive. As a result, we believe these cells can be applied across multiple "ischemic" conditions. These therapies are made available to the physician and patient at the point-of-care by Cytori's proprietary technologies and products, including the Celution system product family. http://www.cytori.com

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding events, trends and business prospects, which may affect our future operating results and financial position. Such statements including our ability to apply this data to our ATHENA study and other projects are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results and financial position to differ materially. Some of these risks and uncertainties include our history of operating losses, the need for further financing, inherent risk and uncertainty in the protection of intellectual property rights, regulatory uncertainties regarding the collection and results of, clinical data, dependence on third party performance, and other risks and uncertainties described under the "Risk Factors" in Cytori's Securities and Exchange Commission Filings, including its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. Cytori assumes no responsibility to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release to reflect events, trends or circumstances after the date of this press release.

Read more:
Multiple miRNA Markers Associated with Angiogenesis and Tissue Injury Repair Expressed in Cytori’s Cell Therapy

There's a growing gap between what grocery shoppers think they know about their food and the reality. Those tomatoes with the evenly rich red color that look ripened to perfection? They were bred to avoid showing streaks of green, a result of genetic prodding that also stole away most of their flavor. Unless the carton says otherwise, the eggs didn't come from chickens that scratched around in barnyards but rather spent their lives in cramped battery cages that offered no room to move around. There's a good chance the meat came from animals that were given antibiotics from their youngest days, both to promote growth and to prevent disease from sweeping through their crowded pens. Pesticides were almost certainly used on the fruits and vegetables. And the sweetener in the soda, or the golden corn on the cob, probably was a product of genetic engineering.

In most cases, there is no requirement to inform consumers, via labels, about the use of pesticides, hormones or antibiotics, or about the inhumane conditions in which animals are often kept. But Proposition 37 would make an exception for genetically engineered food, requiring that it be labeled before being sold in California. Although we generally endorse people's right to know what goes into their food, this initiative is problematic on a number of levels and should be rejected.

Genetic engineering tinkering with genes in a laboratory to produce desirable qualities has dominated the production of certain crops for years. Today, somewhere between 85% and 95% of the corn and soybeans grown in this country, for example, have altered genes. Often, the alteration renders the crops "Roundup ready," which means they're able to withstand the herbicide glyphosate, marketed by Monsanto under the trade name Roundup. That allows farms to spray against weeds without killing the food plants. And because corn and soy appear in so many products in the form of high-fructose corn syrup, as just one example genetically engineered ingredients are common in processed foods.

ENDORSEMENTS: The Times' recommendations for Nov. 6

Unfortunately, the initiative to require labeling of those ingredients is sloppily written. It contains language that, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office, could be construed by the courts to imply that processed foods could not be labeled as "natural" even if they weren't genetically engineered. Most of the burden for ensuring that foods are properly labeled would fall not on producers but on retailers, which would have to get written statements from their suppliers verifying that there were no bioengineered ingredients a paperwork mandate that could make it hard for mom-and-pop groceries to stay in business. Enforcement would largely occur through lawsuits brought by members of the public who suspect grocers of selling unlabeled food, a messy and potentially expensive way to bring about compliance.

These are all valid arguments for rejecting Proposition 37, but a more important reason is that there is no rationale for singling out genetic engineering, of all the agricultural practices listed above, as the only one for which labeling should be required. So far, there is little if any evidence that changing a plant's or animal's genes through bioengineering, rather than through selective breeding, is dangerous to the people who consume it. In fact, some foods have been engineered specifically to remove allergens from the original version. By contrast, there is obvious reason to be worried about the fact that three-fourths of the antibiotics in this country are used to fatten and prevent disease in livestock, not to treat disease in people. The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria from overuse of pharmaceuticals poses a real threat to public health. So why label only the bioengineered foods? Because the group that wrote Proposition 37 happened to target them. What's needed is a consistent, rational food policy, not a piecemeal approach based on individual groups' pet concerns.

That's not to belittle consumer doubts about genetically engineered foods. The nation rushed headlong into producing them with lax federal oversight, and although many studies have been conducted over the last couple of decades, a 2009 editorial in Scientific American complained that too much of the research has been controlled by the companies that create the engineered products. The solution, though, is more independent study and, if necessary, stronger federal oversight and legislation, not a label that would almost certainly raise alarm about products that haven't been shown to cause harm.

VOTER GUIDE: 2012 California Propositions

The more substantiated issue with genetically engineered foods is their effect on the environment and possibly on other crops. The over-reliance they've encouraged on a single herbicide has contributed to the emergence of Roundup-resistant weeds. The industry is now seeking federal permission to grow corn that can withstand a different, more problematic herbicide. The Obama administration should withhold permission until agribusiness comes up with a better long-term solution than creating ever-tougher weeds.

Meanwhile, the marketplace already provides ways to inform consumers about their food. Just as some meats are labeled antibiotic-free or hormone-free, and some eggs are labeled cage-free, food producers are welcome to label their foods as GE-free. The Trader Joe's grocery chain has helped market itself to concerned consumers by announcing that its private-label foods do not contain genetically engineered ingredients. Organic foods are never genetically engineered. There are no genetically engineered versions of most fruits sold in markets.

See the original post:
No on Proposition 37

By Randy Dotinga HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers say they have developed a blood test that could potentially detect hundreds of genetic conditions in newborn babies in about two days. The test might allow physicians to quickly diagnose babies and treat them instead of waiting for lengthy tests or guessing without full information.

The test, which uses a drop of a newborn's blood to examine the entire genome, isn't ready for widespread use. A study released Oct. 3 reports only the results of testing that confirmed genetic conditions in three newborns.

The test could be available soon, however, said study co-author Dr. Stephen Kingsmore, director of the Center for Pediatric Genomic Medicine at the Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo.

"Genome analysis is moving from being a research tool that holds promise to being something that's ready to ... be used for real medical care in real patients," he said.

Newborns routinely undergo genetic screening in the United States to see if they have genetic conditions. The screenings, however, look for about 60 conditions at most, Kingsmore said, and focus on diseases that don't show obvious symptoms at first.

There are thousands of other genetic conditions -- many of them quite rare -- and about 500 can be treated. If a child shows symptoms of one of them, testing may take weeks and cost thousands of dollars, Kingsmore said. Physicians may base their diagnoses on other factors in order to treat children quickly, in some cases to keep them from dying.

"The reality is that neonatologists have to treat on the basis of their best clinical judgment rather than based on any knowledge of the genome sequence," Kingsmore said.

"If you liken testing to fishing, conventional fishing is like throwing a line into the ocean and hoping you catch a fish," he said. The new test, which looks for signs of genetic problems throughout the genome, "is like throwing a net over the entire ocean and seeing what you catch."

The test costs about $13,500 and takes 50 hours to process, although researchers hope to quicken the pace, he said. The new study reports that the test identified genetic conditions in three newborns and ruled them out in another.

Read the original post:
Genetic Disorder Test for Newborns May Speed Up Diagnoses

WASHINGTON (AP) -

Too often, newborns die of genetic diseases before doctors even know what's to blame. Now scientists have found a way to decode those babies' DNA in just days instead of weeks, moving gene-mapping closer to routine medical care.

The idea: Combine faster gene-analyzing machinery with new computer software that, at the push of a few buttons, uses a baby's symptoms to zero in on the most suspicious mutations. The hope would be to start treatment earlier, or avoid futile care for lethal illnesses.

Wednesday's study is a tentative first step: Researchers at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., mapped the DNA of just five children, and the study wasn't done in time to help most of them.

But the hospital finds the results promising enough that by year's end, it plans to begin routine gene-mapping in its neonatal intensive care unit - and may offer testing for babies elsewhere, too - while further studies continue, said Dr. Stephen Kingsmore, director of the pediatric genome center at Children's Mercy.

"For the first time, we can actually deliver genome information in time to make a difference," predicted Kingsmore, whose team reported the method in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Even if the diagnosis is a lethal disease, "the family will at least have an answer. They won't have false hope," he added.

More than 20% of infant deaths are due to a birth defect or genetic diseases, the kind caused by a problem with a single gene. While there are thousands of such diseases - from Tay-Sachs to the lesser known Pompe disease, standard newborn screening tests detect only a few of them. And once a baby shows symptoms, fast diagnosis becomes crucial.

Sequencing whole genomes - all of a person's DNA - can help when it's not clear what gene to suspect. But so far it has been used mainly for research, in part because it takes four to six weeks to complete and is very expensive.

Wednesday, researchers reported that the new process for whole-genome sequencing can take just 50 hours - half that time to perform the decoding from a drop of the baby's blood, and the rest to analyze which of the DNA variations uncovered can explain the child's condition.

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2-day test can spot gene diseases in newborns

WASHINGTONToo often, newborns die of genetic diseases before doctors even know what's to blame. Now scientists have found a way to decode those babies' DNA in just days instead of weeks, moving gene-mapping closer to routine medical care.

The idea: Combine faster gene-analyzing machinery with new computer software that, at the push of a few buttons, uses a baby's symptoms to zero in on the most suspicious mutations. The hope would be to start treatment earlier, or avoid futile care for lethal illnesses.

Wednesday's study is a tentative first step: Researchers at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., mapped the DNA of just five children, and the study wasn't done in time to help most of them.

But the hospital finds the results promising enough that by year's end, it plans to begin routine gene-mapping in its neonatal intensive care unit -- and may offer testing for babies elsewhere, too -- while further studies continue, said Dr. Stephen Kingsmore, director of the pediatric genome center at Children's Mercy.

"For the first time, we can actually deliver genome information in time to make a difference," predicted Kingsmore, whose team reported the method in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Even if the diagnosis is a lethal disease, "the family will at least have an answer. They won't have false hope," he added.

More than 20 percent of infant deaths are due to a birth defect or genetic diseases, the kind caused by a problem with a single gene. While there are thousands of such diseases -- from Tay-Sachs to the lesser known Pompe disease, standard newborn screening tests detect only a few of them. And once a baby shows symptoms, fast diagnosis becomes crucial.

Sequencing whole genomes - all of a person's DNA - can help when it's not clear what gene to suspect. But so far it has been used mainly for research, in part because it takes four to six weeks to complete and is very expensive.

Wednesday, researchers reported that the new process for whole-genome sequencing can take just 50 hours -- half that time to perform the decoding from a drop of the baby's blood, and the rest to analyze which of the DNA variations uncovered can explain the child's condition.

That's an estimate: The study counted only the time the blood was being decoded or analyzed, not the days needed to ship the blood to Essex, England, home of a speedy new DNA decoding machine made by Illumina, Inc. -- or to ship back the results for Children's Mercy's computer program to analyze. Kingsmore said the hospital is awaiting arrival of its own decoder, when 50 hours should become the true start-to-finish time.

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Rapid gene-mapping test may diagnose disease in newborns

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Too often, newborns die of genetic diseases before doctors even know what's to blame. Now scientists have found a way to decode those babies' DNA in just days instead of weeks, moving gene-mapping closer to routine medical care.

The idea: Combine faster gene-analyzing machinery with new computer software that, at the push of a few buttons, uses a baby's symptoms to zero in on the most suspicious mutations. The hope would be to start treatment earlier, or avoid futile care for lethal illnesses.

Wednesday's study is a tentative first step: Researchers at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., mapped the DNA of just five children, and the study wasn't done in time to help most of them.

But the hospital finds the results promising enough that by year's end, it plans to begin routine gene-mapping in its neonatal intensive care unit -- and may offer testing for babies elsewhere, too -- while further studies continue, said Dr. Stephen Kingsmore, director of the pediatric genome center at Children's Mercy.

"For the first time, we can actually deliver genome information in time to make a difference," predicted Kingsmore, whose team reported the method in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Even if the diagnosis is a lethal disease, "the family will at least have an answer. They won't have false hope," he added.

More than 20 percent of infant deaths are due to a birth defect or genetic diseases, the kind caused by a problem

Sequencing whole genomes -- all of a person's DNA -- can help when it's not clear what gene to suspect. But so far it has been used mainly for research, in part because it takes four to six weeks to complete and is very expensive.

On Wednesday, researchers reported that the new process for whole-genome sequencing can take just 50 hours -- half that time to perform the decoding from a drop of the baby's blood, and the rest to analyze which of the DNA variations uncovered can explain the child's condition.

That's an estimate: The study counted only the time the blood was being decoded or analyzed, not the days needed to ship the blood to Essex, England, home of a speedy new DNA decoding machine made by Illumina, Inc. -- or to ship back the results for Children's Mercy's computer program to analyze. Kingsmore said the hospital is awaiting arrival of its own decoder, when 50 hours should become the true start-to-finish time.

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Gene diseases in newborns unveiled quicker

Too often, newborns die of genetic diseases before doctors even know what's to blame. Now scientists have found a way to decode those babies' DNA in just days instead of weeks, moving gene-mapping closer to routine medical care.

The idea: Combine faster gene-analyzing machinery with new computer software that, at the push of a few buttons, uses a baby's symptoms to zero in on the most suspicious mutations. The hope would be to start treatment earlier, or avoid futile care for lethal illnesses.

Wednesday's study is a tentative first step: Researchers at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., mapped the DNA of just five children, and the study wasn't done in time to help most of them.

But the hospital finds the results promising enough that by year's end, it plans to begin routine gene-mapping in its neonatal intensive care unit and may offer testing for babies elsewhere, too while further studies continue, said Dr. Stephen Kingsmore, director of the pediatric genome center at Children's Mercy.

Even if the diagnosis is a lethal disease, "the family will at least have an answer. They won't have false hope," said Kingsmore, who team reported the method in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

More than 20 per cent of infant deaths are due to a birth defect or genetic diseases, the kind caused by a problem with a single gene. While there are thousands of such diseases from Tay-Sachs to the lesser known Pompe disease, standard newborn screening tests detect only a few of them. And once a baby shows symptoms, fast diagnosis becomes crucial.

Sequencing whole genomes all of a person's DNA can help when it's not clear what gene to suspect. But so far it has been used mainly for research, in part because it takes four to six weeks to complete and is very expensive.

Wednesday, researchers reported that the new process for whole-genome sequencing can take just 50 hours half that time to perform the decoding from a drop of the baby's blood, and the rest to analyze which of the DNA variations uncovered can explain the child's condition.

That's an estimate: The study counted only the time the blood was being decoded or analyzed, not the days needed to ship the blood to Essex, England, home of a speedy new DNA decoding machine made by Illumina, Inc. or to ship back the results for Children's Mercy's computer program to analyze. Kingsmore said the hospital is awaiting arrival of its own decoder, when 50 hours should become the true start-to-finish time.

Specialists not involved with the study said it signals the long-promised usefulness of gene-mapping to real-world medicine finally is close.

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Gene diseases in newborns spotted with 2-day test

Public release date: 4-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Vicki Cohn vcohn@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, October 4, 2012Essential medications can be delivered as inhaled drugs to critically ill patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) who require mechanical ventilation to breathe. Aerosol drug delivery is highly complex, however, and if not done properly the medication will not reach the lungs and therapy will be ineffective. The efficacy and safety of aerosol delivery of drugs commonly used in the ICU such as antibiotics, diuretics, and anticoagulants is explored in depth in a review article published in Journal of Aerosol Medicine and Pulmonary Drug Delivery, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free online on the Journal of Aerosol Medicine and Pulmonary Drug Delivery website.

Arzu Ari, PhD, RRT and James Fink, PhD, RRT, Georgia State University (Atlanta) and Rajiv Dhand, MD, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine (Knoxville) state that the successful use of bronchodilator therapy in ventilator-dependent patients has led to growing interest in the delivery of other aerosolized forms of medication to improve outcomes for patients in the ICU that require mechanical ventilation. In the article "Inhalation Therapy in Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation: An Update," the authors explore the complexities of aerosol therapy in this patient population and the advances in drug delivery devices that are contributing to its increasing use and success.

"Newer drugs, such as antibiotics, will require better control of dose and delivery if they are to be successful in treating the intubated patient." says Editor-in-Chief Gerald C. Smaldone, MD, PhD, Professor and Chief, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at SUNY-Stony Brook.

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About the Journal

Journal of Aerosol Medicine and Pulmonary Drug Delivery is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published bimonthly in print and online. It is the Official Publication of the International Society for Aerosols in Medicine. The Journal is the only authoritative publication delivering innovative articles on the health effects of inhaled aerosols and delivery of drugs through the pulmonary system. Topics covered include airway reactivity and asthma treatment, inhalation of particles and gases in the respiratory tract, toxic effects of inhaled agents, and aerosols as tools for studying basic physiologic phenomena. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Journal of Aerosol Medicine and Pulmonary Drug Delivery website.

About the Publisher

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology; High Altitude Medicine & Biology; and Microbial Drug Resistance. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 70 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website.

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Are inhaled medications effective and safe in critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation?

Public release date: 4-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Patricia Bailey pjbailey@ucdavis.edu 530-752-9843 University of California - Davis

As restaurant patrons' diverse food preferences give rise to varied menu offerings, so plant-eating insects' preferences play an important role in maintaining and shaping the genetic variation of their host plants in a geographic area, reports an international team of researchers that includes a plant scientist at the University of California, Davis.

The new study, involving aphids and the broccoli-like research plant Arabidopsis thaliana, provides the first measureable evidence that this selective process is driven, in part, by the pressure that multiple natural enemies exert on plants by forcing them to create diverse natural defenses to avoid being eaten.

Findings from the study, conducted with researchers in Switzerland, Denmark and England, will appear in the Oct. 5 issue of the journal Science.

"Our data demonstrate that there is a link between the abundance of two types of aphids and the continental distribution of Arabidopsis plants that are genetically different in terms of the biochemicals they produce to defend against insect feeding," said UC Davis plant scientist Dan Kliebenstein.

His laboratory is examining the naturally occurring chemicals involved with plant defenses to better to understand their role in the environment and to explore their potential for improving human nutrition and fighting cancer.

Ecologists have theorized for decades that genetic change and variation within a plant or animal species is critical to enabling the species to survive such changing environmental conditions as the appearance of a new disease or pest.

They have documented that nonbiological changes, such as variations in climate and soil, can exert pressures that cause genetic variation within plant species. However there has been little evidence that biological forces, including insects feeding on plants or competition between plant species, can lead to genetic variation within a plant species across a large geographic area.

In the new study, the researchers first mapped the distribution of six different chemical profiles within Arabidopsis thaliana plants across Europe, each chemical profile controlled by the variation in three genes.

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Insects shape the genetic landscape through plant defenses

October 4, 2012 -

In November, Californians will be voting on Proposition 37: A Mandatory Labeling of Genetically Engineered Food Initiative, that will require labeling of raw or processed food if the food is made from plants or animals with genetic material changed in specified ways.

Gail McDonald-Tune advocates for the labeling law and believes the food-buying public is being used as guinea pigs.

Her research has shown that genetic engineering transfers genes across natural species barriers, either by shooting genes into a plate of cells or by using bacteria to invade the cell with foreign DNA. The altered cell is then cloned into a plant.

There are eight food crops that are genetically engineered and five major varieties corn, canola, cotton, soy and sugar beets have bacterial genes inserted that allow the plants to survive an otherwise deadly dose of weed killer. Farmers use considerably more herbicides on these Genetically Modified (GM) crops, so the food has higher residues. About 68 percent of GM crops are herbicide tolerant.

The second GM trait is a built-in pesticide, found in corn and cotton. A gene from the soil bacterium is inserted into the plants DNA, where it secretes the insect-killing Bt-toxin in every cell. About 19 percent of GM crops produce their own pesticide. Another 13 percent produce a pesticide and are herbicide tolerant.

FDA scientists repeatedly warned that GM foods may create unpredictable, hard to detect side effects, including allergies, toxins, new diseases and nutritional problems. and urged long-term studies, but were ignored.

For more information when selecting food, download a free non-GMO Shopping Guide: http://www.ResponsibleTechnology.org.

Read more here:
The Dangers of Genetic Engineering

The Valley's edible crops are grown without genetic engineering, but farmers here still fear a ballot initiative aimed at labeling food that has been genetically modified, saying it could make it harder to sell their products.

Farmers are battling Proposition 37 because they say it hurts business and exposes them to possible lawsuits.

Supporters of the November California ballot measure argue that consumers have a right to know whether the food they are buying has been altered using genetic technology. Many crops grown nationwide, including corn, soybeans and canola, have been tinkered with to resist chemicals, bugs or drought.

But Valley farmers say the proposition has some unintended consequences that could increase costs and hurt their ability to sell even non-genetically engineered crops.

As part of Prop. 37, retailers will be required to label products that have genetically engineered ingredients. That means stickers or labels on many common grocery store items, including cereal, cake mixes and cookies.

But products that are exempt, including those that are not genetically engineered, need to be verified by either the wholesaler, food maker or farmer.

Growers believe that could mean more paperwork -- and potential lawsuits by consumer groups if they don't do it right.

"In addition to the substantial record-keeping that we already do, we will have to provide sworn statements proving that we do not have genetically engineered peaches," said Karri Hammerstrom, who farms 40 acres of peaches and plums in Kingsburg with her husband, Bill. "And if we don't do that, we could be sued."

Hammerstrom also is troubled by wording in Prop. 37 that could limit farmers or processors from using the word "natural" when selling products.

The proposition bans the use of the word "natural" or any variation of that in the labeling of genetically engineered foods. But the state's Legislative Analyst's Office said that the way the proposition is written, there is a possibility that the ban could apply to some processed foods regardless of whether they are genetically engineered.

Link:
Valley farmers fear 'modified' wording in Prop. 37

Public release date: 4-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Marjorie Montemayor-Quellenberg mmontemayor-quellenberg@partners.org 617-534-2208 Brigham and Women's Hospital

BOSTON, MAUterine fibroids are the most common type of pelvic tumors in women and are the leading cause of hysterectomy in the United States. Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) are the first to discover a genetic risk allele (an alternative form of a gene) for uterine fibroids in white women using an unbiased, genome-wide approach. This discovery will pave the way for new screening strategies and treatments for uterine fibroids.

The study will be published online on October 4, 2012 in The American Journal of Human Genetics.

The research team, led by Cynthia Morton, PhD, BWH director of the Center for Uterine Fibroids and senior study author, analyzed genetic data from over 7,000 white women. The researchers detected genetic variants that are significantly associated with uterine fibroid status in a span of three genes including FASN which encodes a protein called FAS (fatty acid synthase).

Moreover, additional studies revealed that FAS protein expression was three times higher in uterine fibroid samples compared to normal myometrial tissue (muscle tissue that forms the uterine wall). Over-expression of FAS protein is found in various types of tumors and is thought to be important for tumor cell survival.

"Our discovery foretells a path to personalized medicine for women who have a genetic basis for development of uterine fibroids," said Morton. "Identification of genetic risk factors may provide valuable insight into medical management."

Study samples used were from various cohort studies, such as the Finding Genes for Fibroids study and the Women's Genome Health Study at BWH.

Uterine fibroids may lead to abnormal vaginal bleeding, infertility, pelvic pain and pregnancy complications. Uterine fibroids are found in more than 75 percent of women of reproductive age.

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Continue reading here:
BWH researchers discover genetic risk for uterine fibroids

The European Union on Thursday set out proposals aimed at thwarting the illegal use of genetic resources and traditional medicine, a practice known as biopiracy.

A Europe-wide regulation would create "a level playing field for all users of genetic resources," the European Commission said in a press release that coincided with a UN conference on biodiversity in Hyderabad, India.

Developing countries, led by India, are complaining that pharmaceutical and cosmetic firms are using local species of plants and animals in their research or exploiting traditional medicine for their own gain.

Confusion on how genetic treasures and knowledge should be shared led in 2010 to the Nagoya Protocol, which members of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) have pledged to pass into their national laws.

The draft EU regulation would require users to declare they have exercised "due diligence" in meeting the legal requirements in the country of origin and in showing that the benefits are "fairly and equitably shared," the commission said.

As part of the initiative, an EU database of "trusted collections" of seed banks and botanical gardens will be set up to inform users about the origins of genetic materials.

The proposed measures will be put to the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers, the 27-nation bloc's highest decision-making body.

More than a quarter of all approved drugs over the past 30 years are either natural products or have been derived from a natural product, the commission said.

The CBD meeting runs in Hyderabad until October 19, climaxing in a three-day meeting of environment ministers on a plan to roll back biodiversity decline by 2020.

See more here:
EU unveils measures to combat biopiracy

ScienceDaily (Oct. 4, 2012) Uterine fibroids are the most common type of pelvic tumors in women and are the leading cause of hysterectomy in the United States. Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) are the first to discover a genetic risk allele (an alternative form of a gene) for uterine fibroids in white women using an unbiased, genome-wide approach. This discovery will pave the way for new screening strategies and treatments for uterine fibroids.

The study will be published online on October 4, 2012 in The American Journal of Human Genetics.

The research team, led by Cynthia Morton, PhD, BWH director of the Center for Uterine Fibroids and senior study author, analyzed genetic data from over 7,000 white women. The researchers detected genetic variants that are significantly associated with uterine fibroid status in a span of three genes including FASN which encodes a protein called FAS (fatty acid synthase).

Moreover, additional studies revealed that FAS protein expression was three times higher in uterine fibroid samples compared to normal myometrial tissue (muscle tissue that forms the uterine wall). Over-expression of FAS protein is found in various types of tumors and is thought to be important for tumor cell survival.

"Our discovery foretells a path to personalized medicine for women who have a genetic basis for development of uterine fibroids," said Morton. "Identification of genetic risk factors may provide valuable insight into medical management."

Study samples used were from various cohort studies, such as the Finding Genes for Fibroids study and the Women's Genome Health Study at BWH.

Uterine fibroids may lead to abnormal vaginal bleeding, infertility, pelvic pain and pregnancy complications. Uterine fibroids are found in more than 75 percent of women of reproductive age.

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Genetic risk for uterine fibroids identified