Science translational medicine
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Review
alpha2A-adrenergic receptors in the genetics, pathogenesis, and treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Insulin secretion from pancreatic islets is inhibited by the activation of beta cell alpha(2A)-adrenergic receptors (alpha(2A)ARs). Increased expression of alpha(2A)ARs, then, would depress insulin release, which is a pathogenic mechanism of type 2 diabetes. ⋯ A single-nucleotide polymorphism in the human ADRA2A gene was associated with decreased insulin secretion in normal people during glucose challenge and was also associated with type 2 diabetes. These findings offer another genetic association locus for the disease, with concordant biochemical and expression phenotypes, and also provide a potential new pathway for therapeutic intervention.
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Blood loss is the major cause of death in both civilian and battlefield traumas. Methods to staunch bleeding include pressure dressings and absorbent materials. For example, QuikClot effectively halts bleeding by absorbing large quantities of fluid and concentrating platelets to augment clotting, but these treatments are limited to compressible and exposed wounds. ⋯ The effects of these synthetic platelets surpass other treatments, including recombinant factor VIIa, which is used clinically for uncontrolled bleeding. Synthetic platelets were cleared within 24 hours at a dose of 20 mg/ml, and no complications were seen out to 7 days after infusion, the longest time point studied. These synthetic platelets may be useful for early intervention in trauma and demonstrate the role that nanotechnology can have in addressing unmet medical needs.