A synthetic heparinoid blocks Tau aggregate cell uptake and amplification.

Tau aggregation underlies neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. We and others have proposed that transcellular propagation of pathology is mediated by Tau prions, which are ordered protein assemblies that faithfully replicate and cause specific biological effects. The prion model predicts the release of aggregates from a first-order cell and subsequent uptake into a second-order cell.

Crystal structure of a DNA decamer containing a cis-syn thymine dimer.

It is well known that exposure to UV induces DNA damage, which is the first step in mutagenesis and a major cause of skin cancer. Among a variety of photoproducts, cyclobutane-type pyrimidine photodimers (CPD) are the most abundant primary lesion. Despite its biological importance, the precise relationship between the structure and properties of DNA containing CPD has remained to be elucidated.