Although this stem cell model of a notochord is a simple structure, it could help researchers study spine-related birth defects.
Category: biotech/medical – Page 399
Mitochondrial DNA plays an underappreciated role in leukemia development
Mitochondria are vital to energy production in cells and so play a key role in fueling cancer growth. However, how mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) contributes to cancer has been unclear.
Scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital studied varying levels of mutated mtDNA to see their effect on leukemia cells. They found that while cancer growth was blocked in cells in which all mitochondria contained mutated mtDNA, it was notably increased in cells with moderate amounts of mutated mtDNA. By amplifying an enzyme vital to energy production, the researchers were also able to restart cancer growth in leukemia cells with fully mutated mtDNA.
Collectively, these findings highlight an unexplored connection between mitochondrial DNA and cancer cells’ metabolic function. The findings were published Jan. 1 in Science Advances.
New computational model can predict antibody structures more accurately
To overcome that limitation, MIT researchers have developed a computational technique that allows large language models to predict antibody structures more accurately. Their work could enable researchers to sift through millions of possible antibodies to identify those that could be used to treat SARS-CoV-2 and other infectious diseases.
The findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Chinese scientists find common blood pressure drug could cure rare brain tumour
Chinese scientists have found a common hypertension drug could prove potent in treating a rare but highly invasive brain tumour.
Although craniopharyngioma is a benign tumour, it can cause complications due to its growth along the critical nerve structures of the brain close to the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland.
Given its location, the tumour can cause hormone dysfunction and metabolic disorders, like obesity, diabetes and hypothyroidism.
Fragile X Breakthrough: Study Shows Existing Drug Restores Early Communication
Research reveals distinct mechanisms underlying neonatal and post-pubertal social behaviors, providing valuable insights for developing targeted early interventions.
Researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and Hirosaki University have unveiled significant findings on the development of social behaviors in fragile X syndrome, the most common genetic cause of autism spectrum disorder. The study, published in Genomic Psychiatry, highlights the effects of a specific prenatal treatment on social behaviors in mice.
The researchers found that administering bumetanide—a drug that regulates chloride levels in neurons—to pregnant mice restored normal social communication in newborn pups with the fragile X mutation. However, they also discovered an unexpected outcome: the same treatment reduced social interaction after puberty in both fragile X and typical mice. These findings shed light on the complex and developmental-stage-specific effects of interventions for fragile X syndrome.
PROSPR: The Government Initiative To Extend Healthy Lifespan In America
“The ultimate goal is to extend healthspan—meaning the number of years aging adults live healthy lives and enjoy overall well-being by compressing the frailty and disability that comes with aging into a shorter duration of time near the end of life,” says Andrew Brack, PhD, the PROSPR Program Manager.
The new venture will be building on some of the work that the National Institute of Aging (NIH) has been working on and will be working in collaboration with various organizations in the biotechnology industry as well as some unspecified regulators to accelerate the development, testing, and availability of new therapeutic that targets human healthspan.
It is hoped that the new initiative, along with positively impacting the healthspan of Americans, will also help to enhance the economy across the nation.
New ‘all-optical’ nanoscale sensors of force access previously unreachable environments
Mechanical force is an essential feature for many physical and biological processes. Remote measurement of mechanical signals with high sensitivity and spatial resolution is needed for a wide range of applications, from robotics to cellular biophysics and medicine and even to space travel. Nanoscale luminescent force sensors excel at measuring piconewton forces, while larger sensors have proven powerful in probing micronewton forces.
However, large gaps remain in the force magnitudes that can be probed remotely from subsurface or interfacial sites, and no individual, non-invasive sensor has yet been able to make measurements over the large dynamic range needed to understand many systems.
“WWI Fighter Plane Hack” Inspires Breakthrough in Cancer Treatment
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed an innovative technology inspired by the synchronization mechanism of WWI fighter aircraft, which coordinated machine gun fire with propeller movement. This breakthrough allows precise, real-time control of the pH in a cell’s environment to influence its behavior. Detailed in Nano Letters, the study opens exciting possibilities for developing new cancer and heart disease therapies and advancing the field of tissue engineering.
“Every cell is responsive to pH,” explains Jinglei Ping, associate professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at UMass Amherst and corresponding author of the study. “The behavior and functions of cells are impacted heavily by pH. Some cells lose viability when the pH has a certain level and for some cells, the pH can change their physiological properties.” Previous work has demonstrated that changes of pH as small as 0.1 pH units can have physiologically significant effects on cells.
Brain-wide cell-type-specific transcriptomic signatures of healthy ageing in mice
Sensitive cells: Scientists discovered dozens of specific cell types, mostly glial cells, known as brain support cells, that underwent significant gene expression changes with age. Those strongly affected included microglia and border-associated macrophages, oligodendrocytes, tanycytes, and ependymal cells.
Inflammation and neuron protection: In aging brains, genes associated with inflammation increased in activity while those related to neuronal structure and function decreased.
Aging hot spot: Scientists discovered a specific hot spot combining both the decrease in neuronal function and the increase in inflammation in the hypothalamus. The most significant gene expression changes were found in cell types near the third ventricle of the hypothalamus, including tanycytes, ependymal cells, and neurons known for their role in food intake, energy homeostasis, metabolism, and how our bodies use nutrients. This points to a possible connection between diet, lifestyle factors, brain aging, and changes that can influence our susceptibility to age-related brain disorders.
Brain-wide cell-type-specific transcriptomic signatures of healthy ageing in mice.
A comprehensive single-cell RNA sequencing study delineates cell-type-specific transcriptomic changes in the brain associated with normal ageing that will inform the investigation into functional changes and the interaction of ageing and disease.