In recent decades, many researchers throughout the scientific world have focused their studies on gene therapy. Gene therapy involves the insertion of healthy genes in the body of a patient to compensate for the loss of functionality of altered genes that are responsible for a disease, with the purpose of restoring the proper function of genes, and thus halting the disease. This approach is clearly possible in those diseases where the genetic alteration underlying the disease is known.
According to some scholars of the University College of London, a new field of application of gene therapy appears to be the severe retardation of fetal growth. According to them, the action of the gene Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), should be increased, in order to stimulate the growth of new vessels, and ensure a greater supply of blood to the fetus. VEGF is a molecule essential to the placenta, and its presence in altered condition is responsible for many diseases of pregnancy.
This project could be accomplished by enriching the cells which cover the arteries of the uterus with extra "copies" of the gene for VEGF. This experiment, however, is not free of limitations. Indeed, the exogenous genes, (i.e. introduced from outside), are gradually degraded by the immune system. To obtain some good result, however, we settle to improve the contribution of nutrients for a short period.
There is also another problem: to bring VEGF inside the cells a carrier, usually a virus is needed. The British used the adenovirus (the common cold virus), whose use is approved for gene therapy. But the safety of this method is now being tested because, not surprisingly, it could bring about an inflammatory or an immune response.
In summary, human experimentation will begin if the animal tests are successful. This approach is certainly interesting, and gives hope to the establishment of a genuine treatment for severe fetal growth retardation, a condition that today we are only able to monitor by choosing the time of delivery based on the most favorable maternal and fetal parameters.
In a study of 2511 patients that switched from atorvastatin to simvastatin, after they had used atorvastatin for at least 6 months, were compared to a control group of 9009 patients who had made no switch.
There was a statistically significant increase in the risk of death, as well as of stroke and major cardiovascular events associated with the switch to a different statin.
This finding may...read
The discovery of penicillin is associated to the name of Alexander Fleming, who in 1928 noticed the inhibition of growth of a bacterium from a mold. But it was not until 1940 that the studies by Fleming, Florey and Chain allowed the isolation of Penicillin, which was later successfully used to help the many wounded soldiers during the Second World War. In 1945 Fleming, Florey and Chain were...read
Melatonin is a neuroendochrine hormone regulating biological rhythms, secreted from the pituitary at night, in proportion to the duration of darkness. The actions of melatonin are mediated by specific membrane receptors, MT1 and MT2, expressed in the CNS (hippocampus, cerebellum, pars tuberalis of the pituitary gland) and in some peripheral organs (mammary epithelium, uterine myometrium, ovarian...read
The management oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT) is of great importance for family doctors, because there are many people with venous thromboembolism, or various cardiovascular diseases, such as myocardial infarction and stroke, who are at great risk for embolism.
Oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT), is designed to depress in a controlled and reversible manner blood coagulability, which is measured...read
Endometriosis is a common and complex gynecological condition, yet little known, despite involving 150 million women worldwide (14 million in Europe and 3 million in Italy). In addition to interfering with the physical well being, it can also have important repercussions on the psyche, on the couple's relationship, and on the social and working life of those affected. It is estimated that...read
In recent decades, many researchers throughout the scientific world have focused their studies on gene therapy. Gene therapy involves the insertion of healthy genes in the body of a patient to compensate for the loss of functionality of altered genes that are responsible for a disease, with the purpose of restoring the proper function of genes, and thus halting the disease. This approach is clearly possible in those diseases where the genetic alteration underlying the disease is known. 
In a study of 2511 patients that switched from atorvastatin to simvastatin, after they had used atorvastatin for at least 6 months, were compared to a control group of 9009 patients who had made no switch.
There was a statistically significant increase in the risk of death, as well as of stroke and major cardiovascular events associated with the switch to a different statin.
This finding may...
The discovery of penicillin is associated to the name of Alexander Fleming, who in 1928 noticed the inhibition of growth of a bacterium from a mold. But it was not until 1940 that the studies by Fleming, Florey and Chain allowed the isolation of Penicillin, which was later successfully used to help the many wounded soldiers during the Second World War. In 1945 Fleming, Florey and Chain were...
Melatonin is a neuroendochrine hormone regulating biological rhythms, secreted from the pituitary at night, in proportion to the duration of darkness. The actions of melatonin are mediated by specific membrane receptors, MT1 and MT2, expressed in the CNS (hippocampus, cerebellum, pars tuberalis of the pituitary gland) and in some peripheral organs (mammary epithelium, uterine myometrium, ovarian...
The management oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT) is of great importance for family doctors, because there are many people with venous thromboembolism, or various cardiovascular diseases, such as myocardial infarction and stroke, who are at great risk for embolism.
Oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT), is designed to depress in a controlled and reversible manner blood coagulability, which is measured...
Endometriosis is a common and complex gynecological condition, yet little known, despite involving 150 million women worldwide (14 million in Europe and 3 million in Italy). In addition to interfering with the physical well being, it can also have important repercussions on the psyche, on the couple's relationship, and on the social and working life of those affected. It is estimated that...
