Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
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Protein key to Alzheimer's disease
DALLAS, Aug 13, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- U.S. researchers have defined a key step in the production of beta-amyloid, a protein believed responsible for Alzheimer's disease.
Understanding this step may aid in the discovery of drugs that could help block the disease from developing, according to study leader Dr. Gang Yu, of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
In Alzheimer's disease, too much beta-amyloid is produced by an enzyme that has many other essential roles. As a result, simply blocking the whole enzyme knocks out many of its other functions, which is fatal to the organism.
"The work provides an attractive potential strategy for developing treatment for Alzheimer's disease," said Yu.
The research uncovered an "unprecedented mechanism of biochemistry."
The findings are published in Cell.