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Category: biotech/medical – Page 117

Functional plasticity of RNA-binding proteins in cancer: both friend and foe

Plasticity of RNA-binding proteins in cancer.

Extensive research has shown that RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) can influence all cancer hallmarks via post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression.

Many RBPs are considered to be prognostic markers in cancer, and are emerging as important targets for therapeutic intervention through the development of drugs targeting RBPs.

Multiple RBPs play contrasting roles across cancer contexts and can facilitate or suppress cancer depending on the type, subtype, or stage of cancer.

The ability of an RBP to bind to a substrate, and the consequences of binding, are highly dependent on cell type-specific modifications of RBPs, their substrates, and interacting regulatory proteins and RNAs. https://www.cell.com/trends/cancer/fulltext/S2405-8033(25)00253-5 https://sciencemission.com/plasticity-of-RBPs-in-cancer

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) govern RNA-based post-transcriptional processes that generate the abundance and diversity of the proteome. RBPs have recently emerged as crucial cancer regulators that can influence multiple cancer hallmarks. However, many RBPs display remarkable variations across different tumor types and can exert both tumor-promoting and tumor-suppressive effects. These opposing roles are often attributed to context-dependency, but there is a distinct lack of clarity regarding what aspects of cellular context define the differences in the roles of RBPs. Given the recent development of RBP-targeted interventions, resolving this significant gap in the field could improve the selectivity and specificity of RBP biomarkers and therapies in cancer.

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Uptake, Adherence, and Attrition in Clinical Trials of Depression and Anxiety Apps: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

A meta-analysis of RCTs found high uptake (92%) but moderate adherence (62%) to mental health apps among participants with depression or anxiety; posttest attrition averaged 18% and follow-up attrition 28%. Trials that included reminders, human contact, and omitted gamification saw lower dropout rates.

Question What are the expected rates of uptake, attrition, and adherence in randomized clinical trials of mental health apps for depression and anxiety?

Findings This systematic review and meta-analysis of 79 randomized trials found high rates of app uptake (94%) and moderate adherence (62%) among participants with depression or anxiety. Posttest attrition averaged 17%, and follow-up attrition was 27%.

Meaning These findings highlight the need to optimize app design and trial protocols to improve engagement and reduce attrition in digital interventions for depression and anxiety.

Aging alters the protein landscape in the brain — diet can counteract this

A study by the Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) in Jena shows that the chemical composition of proteins in the brain undergoes fundamental changes with aging. In particular, ubiquitylation—a process that marks proteins and thus controls their activity and degradation—undergoes drastic changes in the aging brain. Interestingly, a change in nutrition, such as short-term dietary restriction, can partially revert some of these molecular patterns. These findings open up new opportunities to better understand the aging process of the brain and related diseases.

Cerebrospinal fluid motion in the brain captured in remarkable detail

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear and watery liquid that flows in and around the brain and spinal cord. Its functions include protecting parts of the nervous system, delivering nutrients and removing metabolic waste.

Some neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, have been linked to the abnormal accumulation of proteins in the brain, which can cause damage to neurons. This accumulation of proteins could potentially be linked to variations in the flow of CSF in specific brain regions.

Researchers at Leiden University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) recently developed a new approach to study the motion of CSF, which is based on the widely used imaging technique magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Engineers repurpose a mosquito proboscis to create a 3D printing nozzle

When it comes to innovation, engineers have long proved to be brilliant copycats, drawing inspiration directly from nature. But now some scientists are moving beyond simple imitation to incorporating natural materials into their designs. Stuck for ideas on how to create ultra-fine, low-cost 3D printing nozzles, researchers at McGill University in Canada repurposed the proboscis of a deceased female mosquito to create a sustainable, high-resolution 3D printing tip.

The work is published in the journal Science Advances.

High-resolution 3D printing is a process that creates three-dimensional objects with extremely fine details and very smooth surfaces. The technology is used in numerous fields such as aerospace, dentistry and biomedical research. However, its level of precision comes at a steep cost. The tiny nozzles can cost more than $80 per tip and are made of metal or plastic, both of which are nonbiodegradable.

Machine learning algorithm rapidly reconstructs 3D images from X-ray data

Soon, researchers may be able to create movies of their favorite protein or virus better and faster than ever before. Researchers at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have pioneered a new machine learning method—called X-RAI (X-Ray single particle imaging with Amortized Inference)—that can “look” at millions of X-ray laser-generated images and create a three-dimensional reconstruction of the target particle. The team recently reported their findings in Nature Communications.

X-RAI’s ability to sort through a massive number of images and learn as it goes could unlock limits in data-gathering, allowing researchers to see molecules up close—and perhaps even on the move. “There is really no limit” to the dataset size it can handle, said SLAC staff scientist Frédéric Poitevin, one of the study’s principal investigators.

Oxygen deprivation drives dysfunctional neutrophil immunity

Low oxygen levels in the blood can alter the genetic makeup of key immune cells, weakening the body’s ability to fight infection, new research shows.

Scientists found that oxygen deprivation – known as hypoxia – changes the genetic material of immune cells called neutrophils, reducing their capacity to destroy harmful microbes.

The team discovered that low oxygen appears to leave a lasting mark on the bone marrow cells that produce neutrophils, meaning the impact can persist after oxygen levels return to normal.

Screening of Single-Domain Antibodies to Adeno-Associated Viruses with Cross-Serotype Specificity and a Wide pH Tolerance

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors are the preferred gene delivery tool in gene therapy owing to their safety, long-term gene expression, broad tissue tropism, and low immunogenicity. Affinity ligands that can bind multiple AAV serotypes endure harsh clean-in-place (CIP) conditions and are critical for industrial-scale purification. However, current ligands lack broad serotype recognition and adequate alkaline stability, which limits their reusability in large-scale manufacturing. In this study, we employed a competitive biopanning strategy to isolate a single-domain antibody (VHH) that simultaneously binds AAV2, AAV8, and AAV9. The VHH retained structural integrity and binding activity after exposure to 0.1 M NaOH, demonstrating robust alkaline stability.

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