Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

“G900” gene enhancers may play a pivotal role in asthma-associated inflammation

Type-2 helper T (Th2) cells play intricate roles in the inflammatory response underlying asthma. Elevated levels of the protein GATA3 stimulate the maturation of these cells. Consequently, gene regions known as enhancers, which enhance the expression of the GATA3 gene, have been implicated in asthma-associated inflammation.

26 Jun 2024

Study provides resource for investigating diabetes-linked transcription factors

Scientists have generated a comprehensive map of the gene targets regulated by the transcription factors HNF4A and HNF1A in human pancreatic beta cells and liver cells. Published in the journal Nature Communications, the study revealed common and tissue-specific molecular pathways regulated by HNF4A and HNF1A, two proteins that possess important functions governing the development and function of the pancreas and liver.

26 Jun 2024

Study reveals novel therapeutic approach for excessive alcohol use

In a significant finding, researchers from The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) and UConn Health have discovered that sodium valerate, a short-chain fatty acid produced by gut microbes, can dramatically reduce binge drinking behavior and blood ethanol concentration in mice.

25 Jun 2024

Comparative study on preventative SMA therapies shows mixed outcomes

In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers compared the efficacy of preventative therapy for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) between two well-matched study groups, using either gene therapy (onasemnogene abeparvovec) alone or in combination with risdiplam (oral medication) or nusinersen (intrathecal injection) administered before apparent signs of disease emerged.

25 Jun 2024

Breakthrough biomarker predicts recurrence risk in clear cell renal cancer

Researchers from the University of Michigan Health Rogel Cancer Center have discovered a biomarker that could help identify which renal cancer patients have a higher risk of recurrence.

25 Jun 2024

New curative treatment for sickle cell disease shows promising results in international trial

Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) researchers are touting data from a multicenter, international phase 2 clinical trial showing a new, curative treatment for sickle cell disease (SCD).

25 Jun 2024

Pentraxin 3 as a predictor of advanced fibrosis and carotid intima-media thickness in MAFLD patients

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) may increase the risk of cardiovascular events. In this study, we assessed the predictive value of pentraxin 3 (PTX3) for severe fibrosis and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in patients with MAFLD.

25 Jun 2024

Association of HLA-G*0104N allele with increased risk of recurrent pregnancy loss in Kashmiri population

HLA-G gene harbors certain polymorphic variations that can potentially impact its biological activity, and therefore, may confer a risk for recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL).

25 Jun 2024

Weill Cornell Medicine receives $1.5M grant to predict prostate cancer bone metastasis

Weill Cornell Medicine received a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program to develop new approaches for predicting the spread of cancer cells to the bone in men with prostate cancer, using tumor samples taken at early stages of the disease.

25 Jun 2024

Sleep patterns reveal hidden health clues

Your sleep tracker might give you information about more than just your sleep–specifically, it might give you information about chronic conditions such as diabetes and sleep apnea, and illnesses such as COVID-19.

25 Jun 2024

Novel genetic predisposition to being overweight or obese identified

Researchers performed a case-control study to compare metabolic changes between individuals homozygous for a loss-of-function genetic variation in small integral membrane protein 1 (SMIM1) and the general population.

25 Jun 2024

Research shows gut bacteria's role in mental resilience and reduced anxiety

Researchers characterized brain-gut microbiome (BGM) patterns related to stress resilience.

25 Jun 2024

Open-source platform enables high-definition spatial transcriptomics

An open-source platform developed by researchers in Nikolaus Rajewsky's lab at the Max Delbrück Center creates molecular maps from patient tissue samples with subcellular precision, enabling detailed study and potentially enhancing routine clinical pathology. The study was published in "Cell."

25 Jun 2024

New enzyme targets hold promise for cancer therapies

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and collaborating institutions have uncovered new potential therapeutic targets for cancer and new insights into existing cancer drug targets, expanding the breadth of possibilities for treating this disease. Using a comprehensive approach that included integrating proteomics, genomics and epigenomics data from 10 cancer types, the team identified protein and small protein or peptide targets in cancer tissues and validated many of them experimentally as promising candidates for therapeutic strategies. The study appeared in Cell.

25 Jun 2024

Study links gene regulation to allergic airway inflammation

Asthma patients experience respiratory distress due to allergens like house dust mites or pollen. However, the various triggers for asthma share a common pathway involving the release of proteins called type-2 cytokines by Type-2 helper T (Th2) cells and group-2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s). Both Th2 and ILC2 require high amounts of GATA-binding protein 3 (GATA3) for their maturation.

25 Jun 2024