The official MedZine Blog

Also this week MedZine brings you the latest medical news on various medical specialisms. In this editorial two striking studies are highlighted. The first identifies a potential new drug for the treatment of lymphoma. The second shows that a derivative from burnt sugar can prevent muscle wasting in muscular dystrophy.

New drug identified to treat lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Many patients are resistant to currently available treatments and therefore, a new strategy to treat this lymphoma is needed. In a publication in Cell Reports, Hatzi and colleagues identify how Bcl6 promotes the development of B cells and DLBCL. Bcl6 controls the type of immune cell that develops in the bone marrow by pushing them to become B cells, T cells, or macrophages. Bcl6 forms a protein complex that binds DNA and thereby inhibits the production of RNA and proteins. Normally, the protein complex goes away after an immune reaction has been successfully mounted. If it remains stuck, genes that stop cells from dividing and that sense damage to the genome are inhibited. This can result in DLBCL. An additional function of Bcl6 is controlling whether B cells will start producing antibodies or keep on dividing. Both functions are important for the survival of DLBCL. The researchers have developed a Bcl6-inhibitor and have  previously showed that it is feasible to shut down Bcl6 in DLBCL without affecting the function of T cells and macrophages.
The Bcl6-inhibitor is capable of completely eradicating human lymphoma in mice after just five doses. This is setting the stage for testing the drug in clinical trials of DLBCL.

Caramelized sugar derivative prevent wasting of muscle in dystrophy

Muscle dystrophy is a gender-linked hereditary disorder where the gene for dystrophin is missing. In affected boys the muscle weakness starts when they are toddlers. The disease progresses and death usually occurs  before the age of 30. The levels of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) are lower in the muscles of mice with the muscular dystrophy mutation, and certain cell repair pathways involving this signal are impaired. In a publication in Skeletal Muscle, Ieronimakis and colleagues identify a small molecule, 2-acetyl4 (5)-tetrahydroxybutyl imidazole (THI) as an inhibitor of an enzyme that breaks down S1P. THI was added to the drinking water of dystrophic mice. Treatment with THI significantly increased muscle fiber size and muscle-specific force in affected mice. In addition, less fat deposits and fibrosis were observed in THI-treated mice. Levels of S1P and its receptor were elevated in muscles of THI-treated mice. Interestingly, THI is a trace component of Caramel Color III, which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration categories as 'generally recognized as safe'. The substance is also found in very tiny amounts in burnt sugar, brown sugar, beer, cola and some candies. If THI continues to show promise as a nutraceutical or food-based drug, pre-clinical studies will be initiated.

Sources: Eurekalert, Cell Reports and Skeletal Muscle