OBJECTIVE RNA polymerase I (Pol I)-dependent rRNA synthesis is a determinant factor in ribosome biogenesis and thus cell proliferation. The importance of dysregulated Pol I activity in cardiovascular disease, however, has not been recognized. Here, we tested the hypothesis that specific inhibition of Pol I might prevent arterial injury-induced neointimal hyperplasia. APPROACH AND RESULTS CX-5...

RATIONALE Vascular calcification is prevalent in the aging population, yet little is known of the mechanisms driving age-associated vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotypic change. OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of nuclear lamina disruption, a specific hallmark of VSMC aging, in driving VSMC osteogenic differentiation. METHODS AND RESULTS Prelamin A, the unprocessed form of the nucl...

Ataxia telangiectasia (A-T) is one of a group of autosomal recessive cerebellar ataxias. Presentation is usually by the age of 2 years and ataxia of both upper and lower limbs develops, such that by early teenage most patients require a wheelchair for mobility. Speech and eye movement are also affected. Other important features are t(7;14) translocations, immunodeficiency, a high serum alpha fe...

background: acute lymphoblastic leukemia (all) constitutes a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by abnormal proliferation and accumulation of immature lymphoblasts arrested at various differentiation stages. increasing evidence suggests that chromosomal defects are present in these patients. the aim of this study is to investigate the chromosomal radiosensitivity in a group of all pa...

The discovery of multiple signaling cascades downstream of Atm may lead to a clearer understanding of the diverse defects seen in ataxia-telangiectasia. These pathways - which include evolutionarily conserved Chk1 and Atr, and non-conserved p21, p53 and AbI - guard genomic integrity after DNA damage.

This paper recounts the tale of a most vicious dragon that ate thousands of people every day, and of the actions that the king, the people, and an assembly of dragonologists took with respect thereof.