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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Antibody may help in Crohn's disease
LA JOLLA, Calif., Oct 7, 2005 (UPI via COMTEX) -- California researchers found that an antibody that binds to an unusual sugar molecule in the intestines halts the inflammation seen in Crohn's disease.
Researchers at Burnham Institute for Medical Research, in La Jolla, Calif., have found that the antibody stops the inflammation seen in Crohn's disease and other intestinal inflammations.
The antibody could prove to be a promising drug target for these common chronic intestinal disorders, according to Hudson Freeze, director of Burnham's glycobiology and carbohydrate chemistry program.
The researchers found that a naturally "tweaked" sugar chain normally present on white blood cells and intestinal cells plays a role in inflammation. In addition, the team found that an antibody produced in reaction to the sugar's presence curbed intestinal inflammation induced in mice. The findings will be published in the Oct. 15 edition of Journal of Immunology.
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