Exotic fish clues aid cancer and dementia treatment in pioneering Yorkshire study - Yorkshire Post

Exotic fish clues aid cancer and dementia treatment in pioneering Yorkshire study - Yorkshire Post

Exotic fish clues aid cancer and dementia treatment in pioneering Yorkshire study - Yorkshire Post

Posted: 29 Jan 2021 11:00 AM PST

Thanks to a species of small exotic fish academics from a university in Yorkshire have taken a major step towards developing new treatments for cancer and dementia.

Friday, 29th January 2021, 7:00 pm

The University of Bradford said they have uncovered a "vital protection mechanism" in the DNA of zebrafish that could protect humans in later life and make diseases like cancer and dementia easier to treat.

Lead author Professor Sherif El-Khamisy, from the University of Bradford, told The Yorkshire Post: "This study highlights the power of zebrafish for the rapid discovery to find new treatments for cancer and dementia.

Sign up to our daily newsletter

The i newsletter cut through the noise

"It is one of the most important projects that we have done, in the last 10 years."

Pictured, Zebrafish, a species of small exotic fish. Academics from the University of Bradford have taken a major step towards developing new treatments for cancer and dementia, thanks to studying them. Photo credit: Getty Images
Pictured, Zebrafish, a species of small exotic fish. Academics from the University of Bradford have taken a major step towards developing new treatments for cancer and dementia, thanks to studying them. Photo credit: Getty Images

Read More

Read More

Obesity associated with a higher risk for Alzheimer's, new Yorkshire-led researc...

A Zebrafish's genome is very similar to that of humans, and scientists used cells from the popular aquarium fish to study how the protection process takes place.

"Zebrafish is a unique organism - that is very understudied for human research, " explained Professor El-Khamisy, the director of the Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, at the university.

He added: "The genome shares a very good similarity with humans - meaning all discoveries can be easily translated to humans."

Academics from the University of Bradford have taken a major step towards developing new treatments for cancer and dementia thanks to the help of Zebrafish. Photo credit: The University of Bradford

As part of the four year study scientists looked at how so-called 'DNA breaks' caused by things like disease, the treatment of diseases such as cancer, poor diet and other external factors, are repaired by the body.

Researchers discovered a marked difference in how the process of repairing broken DNA works in early and later life and subsequently identified a 'pathway' which might help better protect DNA in adulthood, when studying the zebrafish.

Findings from the project could help scientists develop new treatments for diseases including cancer and dementia.

Professor El-Khamisy said: "Protecting the genome from damage is critical to prevent diseases associated with ageing such as cancer and dementia.

Pictured, Professor Sherif El-Khamisy, from the University of Bradford. Photo credit: The University of Bradford.

"We removed an important genome protection pathway in fish and examined its impact across the lifespan.

"Protecting genomic integrity is fundamental to prevent disease, especially diseases associated with old age such as cancer and dementia.

"Thus, understanding how these protection mechanisms occur is important."

The next step is to use the zebrafish models generated in this study to screen for drugs or dietary supplements that could promote a healthier life at an old age.

A team of scientists from the University of Bradford have produced innovative research to aid the understanding of the causes of diseases including cancer, studying the popular aquarium fish - whose genome is very similar to that of humans.

Scientists will also look at the role played by certain enzymes in the repair of DNA, with the long term aim to be able to move to trial in humans.

Professor El-Khamisy added: "Using the zebrafish model will allow scientists to do screening to find these vital drugs... Once we have a positive hit from the screen we can take the next step.

"With this breakthrough we have identified this new pathway - from here we can push on, and utilise this knowledge to develop new drugs that would treat cancer and delay or prevent dementia."

The study is published in the science journal Science Advances.

______________

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today.

Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you'll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers. Click here to subscribe.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

This fish is worth $300,000 - New York Post

This fish is worth $300,000 - New York Post This fish is worth $300,000 - New York Post Posted: 05 Jun 2016 12:00 AM PDT With exacting precision, the surgeon inserted the scalpel above the eyeball and cut out a snotty deposit of fatty tissue. The routine eye-lift was nearly complete when suddenly the patient awoke, suffocating, and began to flop about on the table. The audience gasped. Knowing time was of the essence, the surgeon scooped up the patient in his arms, raced across the stage, and dropped her into a tank of water. She revived. Because she was a fish. Yes, fish eye-lifts exist. As do fin jobs and tail tucks. The operating theater was a mall in Jakarta, Indonesia, where a pet expo was under way. As for the patient, she survived, her formerly droopy eyes now bright and perky. A good thing, too, as this was no ordinary goldfish but rather an Asian arowana, the world's most expensive aquarium denizen, rumored to sell for as mu
Read more

NilocG Launches New Website for the Only All-in-One Thrive Fertilization Solution for Planted Aquariums - PRNewswire

Image
NilocG Launches New Website for the Only All-in-One Thrive Fertilization Solution for Planted Aquariums - PRNewswire NilocG Launches New Website for the Only All-in-One Thrive Fertilization Solution for Planted Aquariums - PRNewswire Posted: 11 Mar 2021 02:00 AM PST ALBANY, Ore. , March 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NilocG launches a new website for planted tank enthusiasts to gather and make THRIVE, a plant fertilizer that assures planted tank aquascapes flourish while eliminating the need for multiple products more readily available online. The company also takes it a step further in the industry, making its flagship product easy to dose, super-concentrated, and an all-in-one solution based on an effective EL dosing method with all essential micro and macronutrients. Continue Reading Thrive fertilizer: North America's most trusted aquarium plant fertilizer Colin Grice , CEO, a self-described planted tank lover, re
Read more

Catching Dory: selling aquarium fish supports coastal livelihoods in Indonesia | npj Ocean Sustainability - Nature.com

Image
Abstract The global marine aquarium trade has created new local markets across the planet, including in Indonesia, now the second-largest exporting country of marine aquarium fish in the world. Participating in the global aquarium trade has been touted as a potentially sustainable addition to fisher livelihoods, but scant data exist showing the numbers of fish coming off the reef and how those fish contribute to income. To determine how participants in the trade incorporate aquarium species in their livelihoods, we examine source-level aquarium fish collecting and trading data in the Banggai Archipelago, a region in Central Sulawesi that has become a significant source for popular aquarium, also known as ornamental, fish species. Using a sustainable livelihoods lens, we examine this data to understand how participants in the aquarium trade both contribute to as well as benefit from the trade and consider how their participation relates to emerging Blue Justice principles. From one year
Read more