Word: targetable
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Dates: during 2000-2000
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...antigen presenting cell. The APC is an omnivorous creature whose job, among other things, is to gobble up microbial invaders. To initiate the immune response, the APC coughs up a molecule from the bug it has eaten, latches onto a helper T cell and "presents" it with the target molecule, instructing the T cell to prepare its troops for war. This activation is tightly controlled. It cannot occur without the lock-step interaction of a several proteins on the surface of both cells-one of which is known...
Other companies are focused on boosting the immune system with vaccines that can direct it to target cancer cells. A vaccine developed at Memorial Sloan-Kettering binds a protein from a limpet to seven different types of sugars and a protein fragment found only on cancer cells, and saponin, a soap-like derivative from a South American tree. This witch’s brew serves to annoy the immune system, revving it up enough to attack cancer cells that are carrying the same sugars and protein fragment...
Drugs are molecular saboteurs. They exert their curative effects by gumming up the works of key proteins in the body. The compounds with the fewest side-effects are the ones that drop their monkey wrenches selectively, slotting into grooves on the surface of their target proteins-and no other proteins-as snugly as feet fit into socks...
...also grow gummed up, do not carry the mutation. Still, scientists are convinced that the bad gene is a powerful clue. "There appear to be more clumps in the brains of people with the mutant gene," says Zigmond. "Learning how the protein functions may help us develop drugs that target...
...wake of its historic 5-4 decision Tuesday night, the Supreme Court has been the target of criticism from pundits and politicians alike. In particular, many have said that the narrow margin by which the court ruled in favor of Texas Gov. George W. Bush will damage its credibility as an unbiased arbiter and nonpartisan enforcer of the law. One of the strongest statements of this feeling came from a surprising source: the Supreme Court itself...