Receptor News and Research

RSS

Could a rare gene variant help reduce smoking? New study suggests it might

An exome-wide association study of nearly 38,000 smokers from the Mexico City Prospective Study identified rare coding variants in CHRNB3 that are associated with substantially fewer cigarettes smoked per day. Cross-ancestry analyses in European and East Asian datasets support a role for the β3 nicotinic receptor subunit in modulating smoking intensity.

25 Feb 2026

Next-generation CAR T therapy offers hope but faces clinical challenges

A new editorial perspective was published in Volume 17 of Oncotarget on February 20, 2026, titled "CAR-T therapy: Trailblazing CAR(ing) in cancer treatment."

25 Feb 2026

Combined GLP-1 and GLP-2 treatment appears safe but does not beat placebo for obesity

In a 12-week randomized phase IIa trial in adults with obesity, the dual GLP-1/GLP-2 receptor agonist dapiglutide was well tolerated but did not achieve statistically significant weight loss compared with placebo at 4 mg or 6 mg doses. Although the higher dose showed modest within-group weight reduction and improved HbA1c, unexpectedly substantial placebo-associated weight loss limited the observed treatment effect.

24 Feb 2026

ATG14 found to be a critical defender against hepatic injury and fibrosis

Autophagy is indispensable for maintaining hepatocyte integrity, metabolic homeostasis, and survival. While several autophagy-related proteins have been studied in hepatic physiology, the specific role of Autophagy Related 14 (ATG14) in liver health has remained unclear.

24 Feb 2026

Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center delivers Louisiana’s first TIL therapy for melanoma

Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center at The Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center in New Orleans announces a milestone in advanced cancer treatment, as the first institution in Louisiana to provide an adult patient with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) therapy for advanced melanoma.

23 Feb 2026

Rytvela lowers inflammation and improves newborn survival in preclinical study

New research shows that Rytvela, an anti-inflammatory drug candidate, decreased premature birth and infant mortality when administered after the onset of preterm labor in a preclinical mouse model.

23 Feb 2026

Hormone-driven immune cells may explain sex differences in chronic pain

Chronic pain lasts longer for women than men, and new research suggests differences in hormone-regulated immune cells, called monocytes, may help explain why.

22 Feb 2026

Grant supports research into how microglia may spread toxic tau in Alzheimer’s

A researcher with the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio has received a two-year, $402,500 grant award from the Cure Alzheimer's Fund to study how microglia, the brain's resident immune cells, paradoxically might contribute to the spread of toxic forms of tau protein in the disease.

20 Feb 2026

Distinct gut toxicity patterns emerge with targeted cancer treatments

A new paper was published in Volume 13 of Oncoscience on February 6, 2026, titled "Gastrointestinal toxicity of targeted cancer therapies in the United States: Clinicopathologic patterns, FDA safety frameworks, and implications for national patient protection."

20 Feb 2026

New technique synthesizes non-natural amino acids for advanced peptide therapeutics

Ozempic has been making headlines for its remarkable success in treating obesity and diabetes. Yet it is just one in a rapidly growing class of drugs called peptide therapeutics that sits between small molecules (like aspirin) and biologics (like antibodies).

20 Feb 2026

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals accelerated T cell aging in viral infections

A new research paper was published in Volume 18 of Aging-US on February 8, 2026, titled "Single-cell transcriptomics reveal intrinsic and systemic T cell aging in COVID-19 and HIV."

19 Feb 2026

Remote-controlled CAR T cells offer safer cancer therapy

Among the most promising tools of cancer therapy, engineered immune cells known as chimeric antigen-receptor (CAR) T cells have already transformed the treatment of blood cancers.

19 Feb 2026

Precision mRNA vaccine strategy shows early promise for improving TNBC relapse risk

An individualized neoantigen mRNA vaccine was tested in patients with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer and showed feasibility, safety, and strong T cell immune responses. Long-term follow-up suggested durable immune memory with encouraging relapse-free outcomes, though controlled trials are needed to confirm clinical benefit.

19 Feb 2026

Gut microbiome may shape response to GLP-1 drugs, new review suggests

This review examines how GLP-1 receptor agonists and the gut microbiome influence one another through bile acid signaling, short-chain fatty acids, and inflammatory pathways. It explores how microbial composition may shape treatment response and highlights the need for controlled human studies to enable microbiome-informed precision therapy.

19 Feb 2026

Study reveals coffee triggers distinct cytokine responses compared with pure caffeine

A randomized crossover pilot study in healthy adults found that coffee and isolated caffeine produce distinct short-term immune responses despite equivalent caffeine doses. The results suggest non-caffeine coffee compounds may influence cytokine activity and caffeine metabolism, although findings remain preliminary due to the small sample size.

19 Feb 2026

How GLP-1 drugs affect the body beyond weight loss and glucose control

This review evaluates the safety profile of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and related incretin therapies used for obesity and type 2 diabetes. It highlights common gastrointestinal effects, rare but debated risks, and areas where further long-term safety data are still needed.

18 Feb 2026

Researchers find new way to halt leukemia stem cell growth

In a new study published in Nature Communications, a research team at the University of Oslo have examined how cancer cells develop in the bone marrow and whether it might be possible to stop them.

18 Feb 2026

Can GLP-1 drugs slow neurodegeneration? New review finds promising signals but limited clinical proof

This review examines how GLP-1 receptor agonists may influence neurodegenerative disease biology through metabolic, inflammatory, mitochondrial, and proteostasis pathways. Evidence from mechanistic, preclinical, and early clinical studies suggests potential neuroprotective effects, but definitive disease-modifying benefit remains unproven.

17 Feb 2026

Short-duration psychedelic therapy shows promise for major depression treatment

A phase IIa randomized trial found that intravenous dimethyltryptamine (DMT) with structured psychological support produced rapid reductions in depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder. Improvements were statistically significant versus placebo at two weeks, with mostly mild-to-moderate adverse events and the need for larger confirmatory studies emphasized.

17 Feb 2026

Chronic inflammation shapes cancer progression and immunotherapy response

Chronic inflammation is both a driver and suppressor of cancer depending on context. Key players-NF-κB, IL-6, STAT3, TAMs, MDSCs, and Tregs-orchestrate a tumor-permissive microenvironment.

16 Feb 2026