Category: Featured Papers


Frog Protein May Mitigate Dangers Posed by Toxic Marine Microbes Fueled by Climate Change

CVRI investigators have uncovered how an American bullfrog protein known as saxiphilin binds to and inhibits the action of saxitoxin. This deadly neurotoxin, which is about one thousand times more potent than cyanide, is made by algal blooms known as ‘red tide’. If ingested from contaminated shellfish, the toxin blocks electrical signaling in nerves and muscles, leading to death. Red tides are becoming more common due to climate change and these findings may lead to new ways to detect and neutralize the toxin.

Article

Paper


Unique transmembrane domain interactions differentially modulate integrin αvβ3 and αIIbβ3 function

CVRI investigators decipher the mechanism by which platelets are activated to form clots, a key step in both normal and thrombotic processes. The researchers reveal how interactions between transmembrane helices of key proteins found in the membranes of platelets and many other cells help orchestrate the process. Their work is also informs our understanding of the assembly of many other proteins involved in transmembrane signal transduction.

Rustem I. Litvinov, Marco Mravic, Hua Zhu, John W. Weisel, William F. DeGrado, and Joel S. Bennett

PNAS paper


Electronic Cigarette Use and Myocardial Infarction Among Adults in the US Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health

E-cigarettes are widely promoted as safer alternatives to cigarettes. But a new study by CVRI Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education’s Dharma Bhatta, PhD, and Stanton Glantz, PhD shows just the opposite. Using data from a large national survey, they found that both e-cigarettes and combustible cigarettes are independently associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack). Significantly, they found that people who continued to smoke will using e-cigarettes (so-called “dual use,” the most common use pattern, was riskier than using either product alone and switching from combustible cigarettes to e-cigarettes is not associated with
lower risk of myocardial infarction than continuing to smoke. Complete cessation is the only way to reduce risk of myocardial infarction.

The conclude that e-cigarettes should not be promoted or prescribed as a less risky alternative to combustible cigarettes and should not be recommended for smoking cessation among people with or at risk of myocardial infarction.

PubMed

JAHA Paper