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Researchers design gene therapy that can effectively target glioblastoma
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Researchers design gene therapy that can effectively target glioblastoma

by Brigham and Women’s Hospital Glioblastoma (histology slide). Credit: Wikipedia/CC BY-SA 3.0Glioblastoma (GBM), an aggressive brain cancer, is notoriously resistant to treatment, with recurrent GBM associated with survival of less than 10 months. Immunotherapies, which mobilize the body’s immune defenses against a cancer, have not been effective for GBM, in part because the tumor’s surrounding environment...

Gene therapy study identifies potential new treatment for liver cancer
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Gene therapy study identifies potential new treatment for liver cancer

by UC Davis Graphical Abstract. Credit: Molecular Therapy (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.04.019 Gene therapy that induces the body to create microRNA-22 (miR-22), a naturally occurring molecule, successfully treated mice with hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of liver cancer. The miR-22 treatment also reduced liver inflammation and produced better survival outcomes with no observable toxicity compared...

Mutation puts women at higher risk of heart failure
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Mutation puts women at higher risk of heart failure

by Janosch Deeg, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine Cardiomyocytes with stained mitochondria (red), sarcomeres (green) and nuclei (blue). Credit: Klaassen Lab, Max Delbrück CenterWhen the PRDM16 gene mutates, heart muscle cells undergo changes in their metabolism. This increases the risk of congenital heart failure in women more than men, as a ECRC research team led...

Scientists identify new pathway activated by interferon-gamma that leads to tumor cell death
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Scientists identify new pathway activated by interferon-gamma that leads to tumor cell death

by Denise Heady, University of California, Los Angeles Drug screening identifies RAF and ERK as the mediators of IFNγ-induced growth inhibition. (A) Workflow for the drug screen. The orange dots on the Z-score plot indicate expected hits that rescue IFNγ-mediated growth inhibition but do not affect cell growth in the absence of IFNγ. (B) Z-score plot...

Mitochondrial DNA study offers several new findings, reveals confounding factor in previous research
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Mitochondrial DNA study offers several new findings, reveals confounding factor in previous research

Pervasive nuclear genetic control over common mtDNA heteroplasmies. a, Quality control (QC)-passing mtDNA heteroplasmies in UKB and AoU. From the inside: mtDNA positions of poly-C tracts; genomic annotations (orange, HVR; yellow, rRNA genes; blue, tRNA genes; purple, coding genes); heteroplasmic SNV counts (red); heteroplasmic indel counts (black). The teal arc region is the focus of...

Melanoma: Genetically modified herpes virus may improve treatment
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Melanoma: Genetically modified herpes virus may improve treatment

Researchers used a genetically modified herpes virus to treat advanced melanoma in a recent phase 2 clinical trial. Design by MNT; Photography by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images Advanced melanoma patients often face a risk of recurrence postsurgery. New approaches, like immunotherapies before surgery, could potentially help improve the body’s ability to fight cancer and improve patient...

Scientists unravel how TET2 gene deficiency fuels development of acute myeloid leukemia
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Scientists unravel how TET2 gene deficiency fuels development of acute myeloid leukemia

by City of Hope National Medical Center The return (i.e., homing) of leukemia stem cells (green) to the bone marrow microenvironment/niche (red) is substantially enhanced by low levels of TET2, at right, compared to the wild-type version of the gene. Credit: Jianjun Chen Laboratory/City of Hope Scientists at City of Hope, one of the largest cancer...

Israeli scientists make model to test for breast cancer genetic risk – study
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Israeli scientists make model to test for breast cancer genetic risk – study

According to researchers at Tel Aviv University (TAU), this new model could help with personalized early detection for breast cancer. By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH Published: AUGUST 16, 2023 16:47Updated: AUGUST 16, 2023 16:48 A 3D rendering of cancer cells (Illustrative).(photo credit: INGIMAGE)Advertisement Every case of breast cancer in women (and a minority of men) is somewhat different. A new model developed in...

Study uncovers potential new source of genetic mutations that cause neurodegenerative disease
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Study uncovers potential new source of genetic mutations that cause neurodegenerative disease

by University of Plymouth The eCAGr RNA forms cytoplasmic gel-like condensates degraded by the lysosomes. a, Representative images and quantifications of eCAGr RNA condensates (foci) in transfected HEK293T cells expressing the indicated RNA together with MS2CP–YFP as the foci detector. b, Representative images and quantifications of eCAGr RNA foci and the lysosomes in HEK293T cells treated with the...

Study supports hypothesis that mitochondrial dysregulation is a contributor to the development of schizophrenia
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Study supports hypothesis that mitochondrial dysregulation is a contributor to the development of schizophrenia

by Rutgers University Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Researchers at Rutgers and Emory University are gaining insights into how schizophrenia develops by studying the strongest-known genetic risk factor. When a small portion of chromosome 3 is missing—known as 3q29 deletion syndrome—it increases the risk for schizophrenia by about 40-fold. Researchers have now analyzed overlapping patterns of altered gene activity...