December 16, 2005

PUBLIC HEALTH: Alternative Screening Could Cut Cervical Cancer Deaths in Poor Nations
It may surprise women to learn that their annual Pap smears are little better than a coin flip for detecting precancerous changes in the cervix. The test’s success in reducing cervical cancer rates has been limited to the United States and other wealthy countries that can afford regular screenings, which greatly increase the odds of detection. Now, Sue Goldie and her colleagues predict in a new model that two other tests targeted to women in their mid-30s could outperform the venerable cytological test at a fraction of the price. These tests could be paired with a same-day treatment option, affording developing countries a cost-effective way to lower their high cervical cancer rates by up to half. The paper appears in the Nov. 17 New England Journal of Medicine.

CELL BIOLOGY: Synthetic Molecule Blocks Exit from Cell Organelle
The ubiquitous, small GTPases are a family of signal transduction molecules that play crucial roles in numerous biological processes, including cell motility and division. Though scientists have eyed these proteins as potential therapeutic targets for years, inhibitors of GTPases have proven exceedingly difficult to develop; currently there are only a handful in existence. But in a Nov. 20 advanced online publication in Nature Chemical Biology, Tom Kirchhausen (on right), Matthew Shair (on left), and Henry Pelish reveal a new class of GTPase inhibitor. They have synthesized secramine, a small molecule that blocks the GTPase Cdc42, which is crucial for vesicular transport and cell migration. The finding provides a new means to study protein traffic from the Golgi apparatus and offers hope that unique and specific GTPase inhibitors might one day be used to treat disease.

THERAPEUTICS: RNAi Solution Knocks Down Herpes Infection
Ever since RNA interference (RNAi) hit the scene a few years ago as a way to selectively turn off gene expression, researchers have been investigating whether these small but powerful bits of RNA could be used as therapies. A paper in the Nov. 23 Nature showcases a novel therapeutic approach for RNAi—as a vaginal microbicide that can reduce genital herpesvirus infection in mice. Led by Deborah Palliser (at right) working in the labs of Judy Lieberman and David Knipe, the study shows that the therapy can be readily taken up by mucosal surfaces of the body and reduce viral infection.