Enzyme News and Research

RSS

Eating walnuts was linked to higher IgG levels, but what does that mean for health?

A two-year randomized trial involving 474 older adults found that daily consumption of 30–60 grams of walnuts was associated with 6% higher total serum IgG concentrations compared with a control diet, with an 11% difference observed among US participants. Walnut consumption did not significantly affect IgM, MDA-LDL or MDA-LDL-specific antibodies, and whether the modest IgG difference has meaningful cardiovascular benefits remains unknown.

1 Nov 2026

Excessive exercise disrupts dopamine regulation in the brain, study finds

Excessive physical exercise affects more than just the muscles; it can also alter brain chemistry. A new study published in the journal Neuroscience revealed that exhaustive training without adequate rest alters the regulation of dopamine in the hippocampus, a brain region closely linked to memory and the regulation of emotions.

30 Oct 2026

Light-activated molecular cages offer precise control over protein degradation

Researchers have created a molecular "cage" that keeps protein-degrading drug molecules inactive until they are exposed to low-energy red light.

30 Oct 2026

Myeloid immune cells play key roles in aortic health and disease

The aorta is often viewed primarily as the body's largest blood vessel-a durable conduit that delivers oxygen-rich blood from the heart to every organ.

30 Oct 2026

Targeting specific enzyme reverses radiation-induced immune suppression in cancer

Researchers at the University of Chicago identified a mechanism to make immune cells reprogrammed by radiation therapy attack tumors rather than protect them.

30 Oct 2026

Study reveals immune rheostat maintaining skin barrier homeostasis

As the steadfast protector of the body's interior, the skin must be able to swiftly respond to stressors from the outside world and then return to a steady state in order to maintain everyday operations. Coordinating that agile response are epidermal stem cells, which produce the overlying protective layers of specialized skin cells sent to the surface while also maintaining a ready pool of new stem cells to draw from.

30 Oct 2026

Can broccoli sprouts help with insulin resistance? New review offers clues

A review published in the British Journal of Nutrition examines how carotenoids and bioactive compounds in Brassicaceae microgreens may influence obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes through metabolic and inflammatory pathways. Small human trials involving broccoli sprouts have reported improvements in selected metabolic markers, but larger, longer-term studies are needed to establish their clinical benefits.

29 Oct 2026

Evolutionary changes in key enzyme help bacteria fine-tune protein synthesis

Evolutionary changes in key protein synthesis enzyme, isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase (IleRS), may help bacteria fine-tune how quickly proteins are made, report researchers from Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan; the University of Zagreb Faculty of Science, Croatia; and ETH Zürich, Switzerland.

29 Oct 2026

New study identifies potential targets for KRAS-related treatment resistance

Decoding of messenger RNA (mRNA) occurs during translation, the vital cellular process that builds proteins. Errors in this process are known to lead to cancer growth.

29 Oct 2026

New mechanism helps cancer cells selectively produce proteins that drive tumor growth

A previously unknown mechanism helps cancer cells selectively produce proteins that drive tumor growth - such as KRAS - in common cancers, according to new research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

29 Oct 2026

Insights into enzyme selectivity open new pathways for pharmaceutical synthesis

Enzymes are the molecular tools of life. They accelerate chemical reactions and are able to distinguish very precisely between molecules that are similar to one another. The high selectivity of many enzymes is key to the production of important medicines such as penicillin and cyclosporine. But how did enzymes develop this ability to distinguish between similar chemical functionalities with such precision.

29 Oct 2026

Ancient protein model shows early steps in energy metabolism

Researchers in Japan engineered ancestral nucleoside diphosphate kinase variants with restricted amino acid repertoires to explore alternative catalytic functions. One variant, Arc1-12KR, retained its protein fold despite lacking catalytic histidine and unexpectedly converted two ADP molecules into ATP and AMP. The findings reveal alternative catalytic potential in simplified proteins and offer clues to possible routes of energy metabolism during early protein evolution.

29 Oct 2026

Inflammatory macrophages identified as drivers of chronic joint osteoarthritis

Researchers have identified a group of inflammatory macrophages that drive osteoarthritis by sustaining inflammation in the synovium – a layer of connective tissue within joints – and show that they can target these immune cells to treat the disease in mice.

28 Oct 2026

Novel peptide from red alga shows potential for blood glucose control

It is a dietary staple found in sushi, rice wraps, and ramen toppings. Commonly known as nori in Japan and gim in Korea, red seaweed is especially popular across Asia.

27 Oct 2026

Marine-derived compound shows promise against deadly brain eating amoeba

Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a parasitic disease that causes the rapid deterioration of brain tissue, is one of the most lethal infections known, with a fatality rate exceeding 97%.

26 Oct 2026

UCL scientists design symbolic AI digital twins to treat cancer

In a new paper published in Cell Reports Medicine, the UCL team outline how they, in collaboration with a University of Cambridge team, developed a new type of treatment-predicting computer program that uses an individual's detailed genetic fingerprint to explore which treatments, if any, may kill their cancer – especially when standard treatments have failed.

26 Oct 2026

KAIST team develops neural chip to track Alzheimer's drug response

What happens in the brain after an Alzheimer's drug is administered? A joint research team led by KAIST has used a small, implantable neural chip to wirelessly monitor real-time changes in a neurotransmitter involved in memory and learning.

26 Oct 2026

PARP1 remodels nucleosomes to help cells repair damaged DNA

When DNA is damaged, cellular processes respond and repair the DNA. Inhibiting DNA damage repair can be therapeutically beneficial in cancers with genetic vulnerabilities related to DNA damage response.

23 Oct 2026

$8.2 million grant advances on-demand male contraceptive development

Weill Cornell Medicine has received a four-year, $8.2 million grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) to develop and test an experimental on-demand male contraceptive pill that temporarily stops sperm in their tracks

22 Oct 2026

Are shared fryers really off-limits for people with celiac disease?

A study finds most French fries and tortilla chips from shared fryers contain low gluten levels, suggesting revised dietary advice for celiac disease is needed.

22 Oct 2026