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First, the team discovered that heparan sulfate (HSPG), a sulfated glycoprotein on the cell surface, plays a crucial role in attracting LNPs and facilitating mRNA entry into the cell.

- Second, they identified V-ATPase, a proton pump at the endosome, which acidifies the vesicle and causes LNPs to become positively charged, enabling them to temporarily disrupt the endosomal membrane and release the mRNA into the cytoplasm to be expressed.

- Lastly, the study uncovered the role of TRIM25, a protein involved in the cellular defense mechanism. TRIM25 binds to and induces the rapid degradation of exogenous mRNAs, preventing their function.

So how do the mRNA vaccines evade this cellular defense? A key finding of the study was that mRNA molecules containing a special modification called N1-methylpseudouridine (m1Ψ)—which was awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine—can evade TRIM25 detection. This modification prevents TRIM25 from binding to mRNA, enhancing the stability and effectiveness of mRNA vaccines. This discovery not only explains how mRNA vaccines evade cellular surveillance mechanisms but also emphasizes the importance of this modification in enhancing the therapeutic potential of mRNA-based treatments.

Additionally, the research highlighted the critical role of proton ions in this process. When the LNPs rupture the endosomal membrane, proton ions are released into the cytoplasm, which activates TRIM25. These proton ions act as a signal that alerts the cell to the invading foreign RNA, which in turn triggers a defense response. This is the first study to demonstrate that proton ions serve as immune signaling molecules, providing new insights into how cells protect themselves from foreign RNA.

A team of researchers has uncovered a key cellular mechanism that affects the function of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics. Their study, recently published in Science, provides the first comprehensive understanding of how mRNA vaccines are delivered, processed, and degraded within cells—a breakthrough that could pave the way for more effective vaccines and RNA-based treatments.

Continue reading “Cellular regulator of mRNA vaccine revealed!” | >

Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have developed a machine-learning algorithm that could enhance our understanding of human biology and disease. The new method, Weighted Graph Anomalous Node Detection (WGAND), takes inspiration from social network analysis and is designed to identify proteins with significant roles in various human tissues.

Proteins are essential molecules in our bodies, and they interact with each other in , known as (PPI) networks. Studying these networks helps scientists understand how proteins function and how they contribute to health and disease.

Prof. Esti Yeger-Lotem, Dr. Michael Fire, Dr. Jubran Juman, and Dr. Dima Kagan developed the algorithm to analyze these PPI networks to detect “anomalous” proteins—those that stand out due to their unique pattern of weighted interactions. This implies that the amount of the protein and its protein interactors is greater in that particular network, allowing them to carry out more functions and drive more processes. This also indicates the great importance that these proteins have in a particular network, because the body will not waste energy on their production for no reason.

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Researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine have discovered a new way that neurons act in neurodegeneration by using human neural organoids—also known as “mini-brain” models—from patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD).

Understanding this new pathway could help researchers find better treatments for FTLD and Alzheimer’s, the two most common forms of dementia that lead to .

Researchers used advanced techniques to study from patients and mice, including growing human neural organoids (mini-brains) that can feature several cell types found in the brain.

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Continue reading “The Continuum Hypothesis — The Problem that BROKE Mathematics” | >

Neurons are specialized brain cells responsible for transmitting signals throughout the body. For a long time, scientists believed that once neurons develop from stem cells into a specific subtype, their identity remains fixed, regardless of changes in their surrounding environment.

However, new research from the Braingeneers, a collaborative team of scientists from UC Santa Cruz and UC San Francisco, challenges this long-held belief.

In a study published in iScience, the Braingeneers report that neuronal subtype identity may be more flexible than previously thought. The team used cerebral organoids, 3D models of brain tissue, to investigate how neurons develop and adapt. Their findings offer new insights into how different neuron subtypes influence brain function and may play a role in neurodevelopmental disorders.

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In answer, the team needed to develop an affordable catalyst that could improve the salty electrode. For reference, when batteries operate, ions move between the anode and cathode through the electrolyte, per a U.S. Department of Energy description.

This is where wood waste and urine enter the lab, replacing platinum as a catalyst. The UNIST creation facilitates effective electrochemical reactions and quick discharges. The experts used lignin, abundant in wood and used to make paper and biofuels, in combination with urea. Urea is a nitrogen-rich substance found in wastewater, UNIST reported.

“Conventional electrocatalysts, primarily noble metals, are scarce and expensive. In this context, carbon materials derived from biowaste have garnered considerable attention,” according to the abstract.

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At 102, Mike attributes his longevity and active lifestyle to a macrobiotic diet and physical discipline. Diagnosed with cancer at 69, he turned to a whole, plant-based diet, which he believes, along with regular exercise and minimalistic living, reversed his condition and maintains his vitality.

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