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Category: biotech/medical – Page 179

Human intestine shows rapid evolutionary changes compared to other mammals

Research from an international team finds that the human gut is a site of rapid change, with recent and important deviations from other mammals, including our closest living relative, the chimpanzee.

Led by Gray Camp, Ph.D., of Roche Innovation Center in Basel, Switzerland; Jason Spence, Ph.D., of the University of Michigan and Craig Lowe, Ph.D., of Duke University, the team used to create human, chimp and mouse intestinal organoids—tiny models of the intestine that offer an unprecedented glimpse into the development of the small intestine.

The work was published in the journal Science.

Scientists map the genes behind diet and dementia risk

Concordance was high between imputed and sequenced APOE genotypes. Moreover, the researchers replicated known GWAS associations with diet-related biomarkers.

The authors also noted several limitations to provide context for future research. These include that the study population was predominantly of European ancestry, which may limit the generalizability of findings, and that the specific participant criteria (e.g., overweight, family history of dementia) mean the resource is not representative of the general population. They also advise that potential batch effects from specimen type and study site should be accounted for in future analyses.

This genetic resource enables analyses of genetic contributions to variability in cognitive responses to the MIND diet, supporting integrative analysis with other data types to delineate underlying biological mechanisms. The data will be made available to other researchers via The National Institute on Aging Genetics of Alzheimer’s Disease Data Storage Site (NIAGADS).

Scientists develop method to optimize delivery of mRNA to cells

Researchers have developed a simple yet highly effective method for delivering mRNA to target cells, opening up new possibilities for future non-vaccine mRNA medicines for a broad range of diseases.

The Monash University study, published in Nature Nanotechnology, is a significant development in how mRNA is precisely delivered to cells to maximize efficacy and minimize off-target effects—vital components for future mRNA medicines as they continue to evolve.

Led by the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Scientists (MIPS), the interdisciplinary team of researchers used advanced technologies coupled with preclinical studies to produce a highly versatile method that captures and attaches antibodies to the surface of mRNA-loaded while the antibodies are in their optimal orientation, thus enhancing the mRNA’s effectiveness and reducing side effects by making sure it only reaches its target destination.

Lysosomal membrane homeostasis and its importance in physiology and disease

Lysosomes degrade cellular components, and their membrane is an important signalling hub. Recent insights into the mechanisms that maintain lysosomal membrane homeostasis — including the interplay between membrane damage, repair, lysophagy and lysosome biogenesis — highlight their importance in physiology, in disease and during ageing.

Catalytic Research

NIA, NINDS: UNTANGLING THE VIRAL LINK TO NEURODEGENERATION

Scientists have long sought to understand the connection between viral infections and brain health. Can common viruses, which can reside unnoticed within our bodies, contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia? A study published in Science Advances led by researchers at the NIA tapped into data from thousands of human subjects offers compelling new insights into this enigmatic area of research.

The investigation examined the neurocognitive and plasma proteomic profiles of older adults in a community-based cohort from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Researchers focused on their antibody responses to four common coronaviruses and six herpesviruses with hopes of uncovering the molecular pathways linking the immune response to these viruses with brain aging and dementia risk.

Nanoparticles show potential for rheumatoid arthritis prevention and flare control

As a chronic condition, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can’t be cured, so treatment focuses on managing the disease and controlling its progression. Although current treatments help control RA symptoms in most people, they cannot prevent the onset of RA or painful flare-ups.

Now, researchers publishing in ACS Central Science have developed nanoparticles that could slow and reduce flare severity, based on results from tests with and mice models with RA-like disease.

For a person diagnosed with RA, their attacks tissue that makes up the joints, causing inflammation, swelling and pain. However, as the disease progresses, serious cartilage and bone damage can occur if left uncontrolled.

Computational tool ranks compounds to improve cancer immunotherapy effectiveness

A study published in Cell Reports Medicine reports a scalable, data-driven computational framework for designing combinatorial immunotherapies, offering hope for patients with poor responses to current immunotherapies.

Immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), has revolutionized . Widespread resistance to ICB is a major challenge in clinical practice.

To enhance treatment efficacy and overcome resistance, combining ICB therapy with chemotherapy or targeted therapy has become an important research direction. However, candidate combinations rely on empirical selection from existing drugs, and it is difficult to discover new candidates.

This bedtime snack swap could rewire your gut and help prevent diabetes

Eating pistachios every night for 12 weeks altered bacteria in the gut, according to new study. A new study reveals that swapping a typical nighttime carbohydrate snack for pistachios may beneficially alter gut bacteria in people with prediabetes. Conducted by Penn State researchers, the 12-week clinical trial found that pistachio consumption increased beneficial gut microbes like Roseburia and reduced harmful ones such as Blautia hydrogenotrophica. These microbiome changes could potentially support metabolic health and slow the progression to Type 2 diabetes. While more research is needed to confirm health outcomes, this study positions pistachios as a promising late-night snack with microbiome-boosting potential.

Prediabetes affects a third of people in the United States and most of them will develop Type 2 diabetes, yet effective dietary intervention strategies remain limited. Pistachios have shown promise in improving markers of diet quality, yet little is known about how they influence the gut microbiome — a key player in glucose regulation and inflammation.

A new study led by Kristina Petersen, associate professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State, determined that nighttime pistachio consumption affects gut bacteria in adults with prediabetes. Though the potential therapeutic implications of the findings remain unclear, according to Petersen, they may prove significant for people who are working to improve their metabolic health.

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