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    Category Health/Medical

    Gene-Editing Technique Cures Genetic Disorder in Utero

    July 11, 2018, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    Study in mice shows promise for treating genetic conditions during early stages of development. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and Yale University have for the first time used a gene editing technique to successfully cure a genetic condition in a mouse model. Their findings, published in Nature Communications, present a promising new avenue for research into treating genetic conditions during fetal development.

    An estimated 8 million children are born each year with severe genetic disorders or birth defects. Genetic conditions can often be detected during pregnancy using amniocentesis, but there are no treatment options to correct these genetic conditions before birth. “Early in embryonic development, there are a lot of stem cells dividing at a rapid pace...

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    Senolytic Drugs Reverse Damage caused by Senescent Cells in Mice

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

    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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    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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