IN BRIEF A study published earlier this year warned scientists of potential complications with CRISPR/Cas9, but after review by researchers at another institution, the findings of that study are being brought into question. It remains to be seen whether the original study will be corrected or retracted, but this development highlights the importance of peer...
Category: <span>Genetics</span>
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One virus may protect against type 1 diabetes, others may increase risk
Doctors can’t predict who will develop type 1 diabetes, a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system destroys the cells needed to control blood-sugar levels, requiring daily insulin injections and continual monitoring. Now, a new study led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found that viruses in the intestines may...
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New technology to manipulate cells could help treat Parkinson’s, arthritis, other diseases
A groundbreaking advancement in materials from Northwestern University could potentially help patients requiring stem cell therapies for spinal cord injuries, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritic joints or any other condition requiring tissue regeneration, according to a new study. “It’s important in the context of cell therapies for people to cure these diseases or regenerate...
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Well-known protein stimulates insulin secretion in pancreatic cells, surprising scientists
A study published online in The FASEB Journal demonstrated that a protein complex (Gbeta5-RGS) commonly known for halting cellular functions may actually stimulate insulin secretion in pancreatic cells. This discovery offers insights into new treatment strategies for conditions where the body is unable to produce sufficient levels of insulin, such as diabetes. “Once again, Gbeta5-RGS proteins continue...
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Barrier proteins in tumors are possible key to immunotherapy success
By comparing variations in protein expression in tumor samples from a single melanoma patient, researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center say their findings have the potential to reveal some of the mechanisms underlying response or resistance to immunotherapy drugs. The “proof of concept” findings, published online Feb. 13,...
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New insight into how telomeres protect cells from premature senescence
Researchers at the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) have further uncovered the secrets of telomeres, the caps that protect the ends of our chromosomes. They discovered that an RNA molecule called TERRA helps to ensure that very short (or broken) telomeres get fixed again. The work, which was recently...
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Researchers chart pathway to ‘rejuvenating’ immune cells to fight cancers and infections
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital immunologists have discovered how immune cells called T cells become “exhausted”—unable to do their jobs of attacking invaders such as cancer cells or viruses. The finding is important because patients treated with immunotherapies against cancers are often non-responsive or experience a relapse of their disease, and it has been suggested...
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Ribosomal DNA copy number loss and sequence variation in cancer
Abstract Ribosomal DNA is one of the most variable regions in the human genome with respect to copy number. Despite the importance of rDNA for cellular function, we know virtually nothing about what governs its copy number, stability, and sequence in the mammalian genome due to challenges associated with mapping and analysis. We applied computational...
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MAIT cells launch a rapid, robust and distinct hyperinflammatory response to bacterial superantigens and quickly acquire an anergic phenotype that impedes their cognate antimicrobial function: Defining a novel mechanism of superantigen-induced immunopathology and immunosuppression
Abstract Superantigens (SAgs) are potent exotoxins secreted by Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. They target a large fraction of T cell pools to set in motion a “cytokine storm” with severe and sometimes life-threatening consequences typically encountered in toxic shock syndrome (TSS). Given the rapidity with which TSS develops, designing timely and truly targeted therapies...
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Gene variant protecting against Alzheimer’s disease decreases plasma beta-amyloid levels
New research from the University of Eastern Finland shows that the APP gene variant protecting against Alzheimer’s disease significantly decreases plasma beta-amyloid levels in a population cohort. This is a very significant discovery, as many on-going drug trials in the field of Alzheimer’s disease focus on decreasing beta-amyloid levels in the brain tissue. According to...