by University of Utah Health Sciences Fluorescent microscope image of previously failing heart cells that have received cBIN1 gene therapy. Green is a label that indicates the location of cell membranes. The green stripes indicate that the microscopic architecture of heart cells is closer to normal. Credit: Hong lab A new gene therapy can reverse the...
Category: <span>Research Updates</span>
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Cortisol spikes cause debilitating bone growth in spinal injury patients
by University of Queensland Credit: Cell Reports Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101849 Queensland researchers have solved the century-old mystery of why patients who suffer severe spinal cord and brain injuries develop debilitating bone growths around joints such as hips and shoulders. Neurogenic heterotopic ossification (NHO) affects about 20% of patients who suffer spinal cord injuries and can lead to a complete loss of...
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Empagliflozin linked to reduced progression of diabetic retinopathy
by Justin Jackson , Medical Xpress Credit: Mikhail Nilov from Pexels An investigation led by Brigham and Women’s Hospital finds empagliflozin (sold as Jardiance) may reduce the risk of diabetic retinopathy (DR) progression in patients with a history of nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) but showed no association with preventing new NPDR onset. DR is one...
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GLP-1 meds may lower clot risk in people with diabetes
by Ernie Mundell People with diabetes who are taking GLP-1 meds such as Ozempic or Mounjaro may be getting an added bonus: Reductions in their odds for a dangerous blood clot, new research finds. The study found that folks with diabetes who were using the drugs lowered their odds for a form of clot called venous thromboembolism (VTE) by 20%, compared...
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Itacitinib helps prevent graft versus host disease in stem cell transplant recipients
by Elana Gotkine Credit: CC0 Public Domain For patients with haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation (haplo-HCT), the addition of itacitinib to standard graft versus host disease (GvHD) prophylaxis is well tolerated and results in low rates of cytokine release syndrome (CRS), according to a study published online Nov. 2 in Blood. Noting that posttransplant cyclophosphamide (PtCy) has improved GvHD prophylaxis in...
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Estrous rhythm found crucial for optimizing breast cancer therapy
by Justin Jackson, Medical Xpress Oestrous cycle-dependent proliferation of tumor cells during oestrus stage in MMTV-PyMT tumors. Credit: Nature (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08276-1 The Netherlands Cancer Institute has found that the estrous cycle stage significantly influences mammary tumors’ sensitivity to chemotherapy. In mouse models of breast cancer, treatment initiated during the diestrus stage resulted in reduced responses to...
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Analysis offers new explanation for dangerous atherosclerotic plaques in type 2 diabetes
by Lund University Less collagen and vascular smooth muscle cells are associated with future cardiovascular events in type 2 diabetes. Credit: Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50753-8 People with type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of suffering a stroke, a heart attack and premature death due to atherosclerosis, but it has been unclear what the underlying mechanisms are....
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Novel mechanism in brain blood flow regulation offers insights into treating stroke and dementia
by University of Vermont Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain A team of UVM scientists led by Mark Nelson, Ph.D., from the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, has uncovered a novel mechanism that reshapes our understanding of how blood flow is regulated in the brain. The study, published in The Proceedings of the National Academy...
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Genetic code discovery could redefine understanding of cancer origins
by Virginia Commonwealth University Tumor cells synthesize and export Tu-Stroma to stromal cells via DDX3X-assisted exosomal packaging. Credit: Nature Biotechnology (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02453-3 A group of scientists at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center has revealed a new genetic code that acts like a cancer ringleader, recruiting and deploying a gang of tumor cells to incite a biological turf...
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Researchers discover a way to make fat cells skinny
Posted Yesterday Scientists at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA have discovered a key biological reason why obesity increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes, and it boils down to size — specifically the size of fat cells. Fat – illustrative photo. Image credit: Pixabay (Free Pixabay license) The study, published in...