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Fruit fly provides insight into controlling carbs and fat

Incretins are hormones secreted by intestinal cells that regulate pancreatic insulin and glucagon to control sugar metabolism in mammals.

19 Aug 2021

Scientists identify the main components driving amyloid beta-associated synapse degeneration

Healthy adult brains are endowed with a vast number of synapses, structures that relay signals across nerve cells to enable communications, information processing and storage throughout the nervous system.

18 Aug 2021

VPS29 gene facilitates coronavirus cell entry

In a research paper recently uploaded to the bioRxiv* preprint server by Poston et al. (August 8th, 2021), common host factors amongst several zoonotic pathogens are explored by CRISPR-Cas9 screening in human lung cells, focusing in particular on the betacoronavirus genus.

11 Aug 2021

Beige fat cells mediate subcutaneous fat's brain protection from dementia

Beige is considered a calming paint color, and scientists have new evidence that beige fat has a similar impact on the brain, bringing down the inflammation associated with the more common white fat and providing protection from dementia.

10 Aug 2021

Study identifies Foxo1 gene as a potential treatment target for hereditary lymphedema

A University of South Florida preclinical study unexpectedly identified the gene Foxo1 as a potential treatment target for hereditary lymphedema.

10 Aug 2021

Protein consumption at breakfast can increase muscle size and function, finds study

Proteins constitute an essential dietary component that help in the growth and repair of the body. Composed of long chains of amino acids, proteins promote the growth of skeletal muscles, the group of muscles that help us move.

20 Jul 2021

New live cell models lay the groundwork for studies into mitochondrial diseases

The mitochondrion has garnered quite the reputation for its role as the "powerhouse of the cell." These tiny, but mighty organelles play various life-sustaining roles, from powering our own cells and organs to fueling chemical and biological processes.

15 Jul 2021

Researchers study the role of subnuclear NSrp70 in T cell-mediated adaptive immunity

T cells are components of the body’s immune system. The ability of T cells to recognize diverse pathogens and mount a defense against them stems from the way proteins are spliced during their development and maturation.

15 Jul 2021

An antioxidative stress regulator helps keep muscles from becoming weak in low gravity

Most kids dream of growing up to be astronauts; but the downside of spending extended amounts of time in low gravity is that astronauts' muscles tend to shrink and weaken through disuse. Now, researchers from Japan have identified a protein that affects how muscles respond to space flight.

7 Jul 2021

Research shows how loss of de-N-glycosylation enzyme causes detrimental effects

Peptide: N-glycanase (NGLY1) is an evolutionarily conserved enzyme for removing N-linked glycans (N-glycans) from glycoproteins and is involved in proteostasis of N-glycoproteins in the cytosol. In 2012, a rare genetic disorder called NGLY1 deficiency was discovered by an exome analysis.

7 Jul 2021

Methylglyoxal detoxification deficits can be involved in the development of schizophrenia

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a highly reactive α-ketoaldehyde formed endogenously as a byproduct of the glycolytic pathway. MG accumulates under conditions of hyperglycemia, impaired glucose metabolism, or oxidative stress.

2 Jul 2021

Alternative model of Alzheimer's emphasizes different set of mechanisms that lead to neurodegeneration

In the context of recent debate over the FDA's approval of aducanumab, it's refreshing to learn about a model of Alzheimer's neurodegeneration that doesn't start with the pathogenic proteins amyloid or Tau.

29 Jun 2021

Two CU Cancer Center studies provide insights into the link between inflammation and leukemia

Two recent collaborative publications by CU Cancer Center members provide insights into how chronic inflammation can serve as a key factor in the development of leukemia and other blood cancers.

29 Jun 2021

Ycharos announces publication of first characterization data and formation of industry advisory committee

YCharOS Inc., an open science company with the mission of characterizing commercially available antibody reagents for all human proteins, is pleased to announce the publication of its first characterization data and formation of its Industry Advisory Committee (IAC).

23 Jun 2021

Role of tau in pathogenesis of Lewy body dementias is distinct from Alzheimer’s disease, suggests study

Will a reduction in tau protein in brain neurons protect against Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementias?

21 Jun 2021

Immune cell-mimicking nanoparticles deliver drugs directly to inflamed lungs

Nanoengineers at the University of California San Diego have developed immune cell-mimicking nanoparticles that target inflammation in the lungs and deliver drugs directly where they're needed. As a proof of concept, the researchers filled the nanoparticles with the drug dexamethasone and administered them to mice with inflamed lung tissue.

17 Jun 2021

Study reveals how high fat diets can cause intestinal and colon cancer

For decades, physicians and dieticians have urged people to limit their intake of high fat foods, citing links to poor health outcomes and some of the leading causes of death in the U.S., such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

9 Jun 2021

Genome-scale CRISPR screens pinpoint promising antiviral compounds against SARS-CoV-2

In a recent research paper currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server, scientists in the US used genome-scale CRISPR knockout screens to identify factors that promote infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), revealing the potential for broad-spectrum activity across the coronavirus family.

7 Jun 2021

Superoxide produced in the inner ear cochlea causes major types of acquired hearing loss

Professor UEYAMA Takehiko (Biosignal Research Center, Kobe University) and the inner ear research group (Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine) have identified the cell types in the inner ear cochlea responsible for the production of superoxide (Nox3-expressing cells).

25 May 2021

Genetically engineered intestinal organoids reveal potential treatment targets against SARS-CoV-2

Using CRISPR/Cas9 and human intestinal organoids to study genes implicated in the biology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), researchers from the Netherlands identified a specific serine protease (TMPRSS2) as an attractive pan-coronavirus therapeutic target. Their exciting findings are available in a study currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

24 May 2021