BiotechNews1

Originally published by Nik Papageorgiou, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne , on May 29, 2024  Credit: Cell Reports (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114256 A new study by EPFL scientists shows that age-related decline in motor ability can be countered in fruit flies by enhancing the expression of the protein Trio , suggesting potential treatments for age-related movement decline. As we age , we suffer a noticeable decline in motor ability , which affects our quality of life and independence. This can be traced t o changes occurring at neuromuscular junctions , the critical points where nerve cells communicate with muscles .   The deterioration of motor ability is closely linked to the degeneration of motor synaptic terminals , where signals pass from nerves in the spine to muscles. As we age, the terminals u ndergo structural fragmentation , reducing the release of neurotransmitters , which is crucial for initiating muscle movements. In the end, this translates i...

Originally published by University of California, San Francisco, on May 24, 2024 Graphical abstract. Credit: Cell (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.04.010 Scientists have known for years that a lattice of blood vessels nourishes cells in the retina that allow us to see —but it's been a mystery how the intricate structure is created . Now , researchers at UC San Francisco have found a new type of neuron that guides its formation . The discovery, described in Cell , could one day lead to new therapie s for diseases that are related to impaired blood flow in the eyes and brain. "This is the first time anyone has seen retinal neurons using direct contact with blood vessels as a way of guiding them to form these precise 3D lattices ," said Xin Duan, Ph.D., an associate professor of ophthalmology and senior author of the study. "This brings us closer to the possibility of repairing them when they're damaged or rerouting them when they weren't built ...

Originally published by The Scripps Research Institute, on May 22, 2024   A tiny glass tube (top left) represents the electrode recording from an excitatory human Alzheimer's neuron, generated using modern stem cell techniques (dark blue, at tip of tube). Credit: Scripps Research According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , at least 5.8 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for Alzheimer's, in part because scientists do not yet have a full understanding of what causes the disease. But a new study from Scripps Research is shedding light on the molecular drivers that could contribute to Alzheimer's progression. In the study, published in Advanced Science , the researchers used a new technique for studying single, living brain cells affected by Alzheimer's disease. By measuring the electrical activity of single neurons and the protein levels within ...

Originally published by Marie Simon, Paris Brain Institute, on May 18, 2024 Commensal bacteria (red) among the mucus (green) and epithelial cells (blue) in a mouse small intestine. Credit: University of Chicago. The way we make decisions in a social context can be explained by p sychological, social, and political factors . But what if other forces were at work? Hilke Plassmann and her colleagues from the P aris Brain Institute and the University of Bonn show that changes in gut microbiota can influence our sensitivity to fairness and how we treat others. Their findings are published in the journal PNAS Nexus . The intestinal microbiota —i.e., all the bacteria, viruses and fungi that inhabit our digestive tract— plays a pivotal role in our bodies , well beyond digestive function. Recent research underscores its impact on cognition, stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and behavior ; mice raised in a sterile environment, for example, have difficulty interacting with other indi...

Originally published by by Rose Miyatsu, University of California - Santa Cruz , on May 11, 2024 Shown is the splicing pathway. The pre-messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) has exons (blue) and introns (pink). The spliceosome (not shown) was known to catalyze two chemical reactions (black arrows) in a two-step process (green arrows labeled 1 and 2) that splice the exons together and removes the intron as a lariat. This study demonstrates that after splicing is finished, the spliceosome is still active and can convert the lariat intron into a circle using a third reaction (green arrow 3) marked by an asterix. Credit: Manuel Ares, UC Santa Cruz Although you may not appreciate them, or have even heard of them, throughout your body , countless microscopic machines called spliceosomes are hard at work . As you sit and read, they are faithfully and rapidly putting back together the broken information in your genes by removing sequences called " introns " so that your messenger RNAs can...

Originally published by American Chemical Society, on May 1, 2024 Between day one (left) and day 14 (right), plant cells 3D printed in hydrogel grow and begin flourishing into yellow clusters. Credit: Adapted from ACS Central Science 2024, DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.4c00338 Scientists are harnessing cells to make new types of materials t hat can grow, repair themselves and even respond to their environment . These solid " engineered living materials " are made by embedding cells in an inanimate matrix that's formed in a desired shape. Now, researchers report in ACS Central Science that they have 3D printed a bioink containing plant cells that were then genetically modified , producing programmable materials . Applications could someday include biomanufacturing and sustainable construction . Recently, researchers have been developing engineered living materials, primarily relying on bacterial and fungal cells as the live component. But the unique features of plant ce...

  After years of lackluster results, cancer vaccines seem poised for success. Finally. Originally published by Cassandra Willyard at MIT Technology Review, on May 3, 2024 Last week of April, Moderna and Merck launched a large clinical tria l in the UK of a promising new cancer therapy : a personalized vaccine that targets a specific set of mutations found in each individual’s tumor. This study is enrolling patients with melanoma . But the companies have also launched a phase III trial for lung cancer . And earlier this month BioNTech and Genentech announced that a personalized vaccine they developed in collaboration shows promise in pancreatic cancer , which has a notoriously poor survival rate. Drug developers have been working for decades on vaccines to help the body’s immune system fight cancer, without much success. But promising results in the past year suggest that the strategy may be reaching a turning point . Will these therapies finally live up to their promi...

Originally published by Université de Génevé, Medias, on 30 April 2024 A UNIGE team, in collaboration with the University of Sydney, has developed a new type of anticoagulant whose action can be rapidly stopped.   The image illustrates the combined action of two molecules cooperating to inhibit thrombin. The antidote dissociates the two molecules, preventing the cooperativity. The association and dissociation of the two molecules is controlled by hybridization of oligonucleotides. © Millicent Dockerill / Nicolas Winssinger Anticoagulant treatments are crucial for managing many conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, and venous thrombosis . Current options, however, carry an i nherent risk of serious bleeding due to trauma or unforeseen events . A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the University of Sydney has developed a new anticoagulant , designed to have an on-demand reversible activity , with a fast-acting ‘‘antidote’’ . This approach could revolutioni...