Category Biology/Biotechnology

Two recent studies from the University of California, Riverside, published in the same issue of Gut Microbes highlight the role of a gene called PTPN2 in protecting the gut from harmful bacteria linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Led by Declan McCole, a professor of biomedical sciences in the School of Medicine, the studies show that when PTPN2 does not function properly, the gut becomes more vulnerable to infection and inflammation.

People with IBD often have higher levels of AIEC, a harmful type of E. coli bacteria. AIEC can attach to the gut lining, invade gut cells, damage the gut’s protective barrier, and worsen inflammation.

Normally, PTPN2 helps maintain gut health by controlling inflammation and supporting a balanced gut microbiome...

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine report that they have uncovered a promising drug target that could allow scientists to increase or decrease the activity of specific brain proteins. The discovery may lead to new treatments for psychiatric conditions such as anxiety and schizophrenia, as well as a neurological disorder that affects movement and balance. The work was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health.

The proteins at the center of the research are known as delta-type ionotropic glutamate receptors, or GluDs...

A simple blood test can help detect cancer in patients with non-specific symptoms such as fatigue, pain or weight loss. This is according to a Swedish study from Karolinska Institutet, Danderyd Hospital and others, published in Nature Communications.

When patients seek care for non-specific symptoms such as fatigue, pain or weight loss, it is often difficult to determine whether the cause is cancer, another serious condition or something completely harmless.

In a new study, researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Danderyd Hospital, together with Örebro University, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and SciLifeLab at Uppsala University, have investigated whet...

Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is a severe disease that occurs when a vein in the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye (i.e., the retina) becomes blocked, which results in a loss of vision. There are currently a few medical interventions that address RVO, including the periodic injection of medications that block the abnormal growth of blood vessels or of steroids, which reduce swelling and inflammation.

A promising procedure for the treatment of RVO is retinal vein cannulation (RVC)...