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    Category Biology/Biotechnology

    Senolytic Drugs Reverse Damage caused by Senescent Cells in Mice

    July 9, 2018, Categories  Biology/Biotechnology, Health/Medical

    D + Q reduces senescent cell abundance and decreases proinflammatory cytokine secretion in human adipose tissue.

    D + Q reduces senescent cell abundance and decreases proinflammatory cytokine secretion in human adipose tissue.

    Injecting senescent cells into young mice results in a loss of health and function but treating the mice with a combination of two existing drugs cleared the senescent cells from tissues and restored physical function. The drugs also extended both life span and health span in naturally aging mice, according to a new study in Nature Medicine, published on July 9, 2018.
    A research team led by James L. Kirkland, M.D., Ph.D., of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, found that injecting even a small number of senescent cells into young, healthy mice causes damage that can result in physical dysfunction...
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    Bacterial Survival in Salty Antifreeze raises hope for Life on Mars and Icy Moons

    July 6, 2018, Categories  Astronomy/Space, Biology/Biotechnology

    New research by a trans-Atlantic team of scientists suggests that bacteria could survive in briny chemicals that exist on Mars, Enceladus, Europa, Pluto and possibly elsewhere. The discovery of plumes and subsurface oceans on Jupiter’s moon Europa, organic materials on Mars, and the likelihood of hydrothermal vents in the oceans of Saturn’s moon Enceladus, inches humanity closer to discovering life elsewhere. Such life would have to withstand extreme environments, and previous studies indicate that various types of bacteria can.

    Liquid oceans on some bodies far from the Sun have lower freezing points because of chemicals and salts that amount to antifreeze, so microbial life would have to survive both the temperatures and the elements...

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    Non-Opioid Drug Relieves Pain in mice, Targets Immune Cells

    July 5, 2018, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    In skin biopsies from the legs of healthy people (left) there are abundant sensory nerve fibers (green) but few macrophages (red). Meanwhile, in biopsies from patients with pain due to diabetic neuropathy (right), macrophages (red) surround degenerating nerve fibers (green).
    Credit: Mohopatra lab

    Researchers have found that inhibiting a receptor on macrophages may help relieve pain in some patients, particularly those with chronic neuropathic pain, such as those with conditions such as diabetic neuropathy. Recently, a non-opioid, investigational drug called EMA401 has shown promise as a treatment for lingering nerve pain following shingles infection...

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    New Small Molecules pave the way for Treating Autoinflammatory Disease

    July 5, 2018, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    Mechanism of action of the identified STING antagonists.

    Mechanism of action of the identified STING antagonists.

    Scientists have discovered two small-molecule compound series that can effectively block a central pathway of the innate immune system, offering a promising new way for treating autoinflammatory diseases. As a key strategy to sense the presence of pathogens, the cells of the innate immune system use receptors that can identify microbial DNA and in turn activate a protein called STING (STimulator of Interferon Genes). Once activated, STING turns on genes that help cells fight off the infecting pathogen.

    Nonetheless, the innate immune system can turn against the body itself, causing a number of diseases, which are referred to as autoinflammatory...

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