https://phys.org/ en-us Latest news from European Molecular Biology Organization The effect of iron supplementation on skeletal muscle atrophy in cancer patients and sufferers from other wasting diseases has been investigated by a team of Italian and Belgian scientists which studied causes of these conditions in humans and mouse models. The findings, published today in EMBO Reports, shed light on wasting mechanisms in advanced stage cancer patients, for whom prevalence of devastating skeletal muscle atrophy known generally as cachexia reaches 80%. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-02-effect-iron-supplementation-skeletal-muscle.html Medications Fri, 25 Feb 2022 10:10:05 EST news565004200 SARS-CoV-2 causes the pandemic coronavirus disease COVID-19, that is more harmful for elderly people, who show more severe symptoms and are at higher risk of hospitalization and death. A group of Italian and American researchers led by Fabrizio d'Adda di Fagagna now reports that the expression of the cell receptor for the virus, ACE2, which is essential for mediating cell entry of the virus, increases in the lungs of aging mice and humans. They further show that ACE2 expression increases upon telomere shortening or dysfunction—common hallmarks of aging—in cultured human cells and in mice. This increase depends on a DNA damage response elicited by dysfunctional telomeres. The findings published today by EMBO Reports provide one possible molecular explanation for the increased sensitivity of elderly people to SARS-CoV-2. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-12-telomeres-elderly-susceptibility-sars-cov-.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 03 Dec 2021 09:45:22 EST news557747117 Molecular targets for therapies that could prevent breast cancer recurrence have been identified by a group of German, Norwegian and British scientists who analyzed tumor cells that proved resistant to the original treatment. Recent advances in early detection and targeted therapy have led to a growing success in treating breast cancer upon first presentation. This often is achieved by silencing tumor driving oncogenes and causing tumor regression. However, the survival of small numbers of tumor cells after initial therapy is an increasing challenge as such cells lead to subsequent recurrence of mostly incurable cancer in 20% to 40% of patients after a few years or even decades. The findings published today in Molecular Systems Biology are potentially relevant for breast cancer treatment outcomes as they can help tackling tumor recurrence. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-10-metabolic-memory-key-role-breast.html Oncology & Cancer Mon, 25 Oct 2021 09:35:17 EDT news554373314 Development of an in vitro human-derived tissue model for studying virus infection and disease progression in the alveolar cells of the lungs responsible for oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange with the blood might enable the study of possible therapies for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) triggered by SARS-CoV-2. Researchers in the Netherlands have demonstrated that the SARS-CoV-2 replicates efficiently in their model resembling the human bronchioalveolar system that is thought to play a critical role in progression of infection towards pneumonia and ARDS. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-01-sars-cov-infection-human-lung-bronchioalveolar.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 11 Jan 2021 12:25:00 EST news529590297 Molecular markers in the blood shown to be predictive of severe COVID-19 outcomes resulting from SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection have been identified in a study by a Chinese research team. The study results extend understanding of the pathophysiology and clinical progress of COVID-19 with potential for identifying early during the course of infection which individuals are most at risk of developing severe conditions and requiring hospital care. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-12-biomarkers-severe-sars-cov-infection.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 14 Dec 2020 16:04:43 EST news527184279 The importance of maintaining high quality air flow to restrict transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in confined workspaces has been strongly indicated by the investigation of an outbreak of the virus at a German meat processing plant during May and June 2020. The study, published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, found that the outbreak originated from a single worker on the meat processing production line. It also concluded that in such confined spaces where unfiltered air is recirculated at low rates of external air exchange, transmission of SARS-CoV-2 can occur over distances of at least eight meters. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-10-meat-aerosol-sars-cov-transmission-confined.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 28 Oct 2020 13:36:04 EDT news523110959 Antibodies targeting the normal PrP version of the prion protein have been found in humans selected at random with no history of any associated transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. The significance is that prion proteins can be converted into a disease-causing infectious particle like PrPSc, an aggregated version or isoform resistant to degradation by protease enzymes. Resulting prion diseases, like other neurodegenerative syndromes such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, are associated with accumulation of misfolded and aggregated proteins in the central nervous system. Antibodies against such proteins may be beneficial and offer potential for therapies against such diseases by targeting the pathological aggregates for degradation by phagocytic cells. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-08-naturally-antibodies-prion-proteins-humans.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 17 Aug 2020 12:29:42 EDT news516886179 MALT1 blockers have long been in clinical use for the treatment of blood cancers. A study suggests that these drugs could potentially also be developed as a treatment option for glioblastoma, the most common and lethal type of brain tumor. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-11-exploring-drug-repurposing-glioblastoma.html Medications Wed, 27 Nov 2019 09:30:07 EST news494069404 The Israeli acute paralysis virus is a pathogen that affects honey bees and has been linked to colony collapse disorder, a key factor in decimating the bee population. Researchers have now analyzed in detail how the virus hijacks the cellular protein production machinery and misuses it for its own purposes. The research, published in The EMBO Journal, is an important step towards the development of strategies to fight the colony collapse disorder. https://phys.org/news/2019-10-strategies-honey-bee-virus.html Plants & Animals Wed, 23 Oct 2019 09:34:58 EDT news491042080 There are many indications that fasting promotes longevity. In recent years, much attention has been devoted to so-called caloric restriction mimetics (CMRs), substances that simulate the health-promoting effects of fasting without the need of life-style change. In a study published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, a research team led by Oliver Kepp and Guido Kroemer at the French Medical Research Council (INSERM) reports the identification of a novel candidate CRM. The substance may prove useful in the further research for the treatment of age-related diseases. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-10-exploring-effect-fasting-age-related-diseases.html Medical research Mon, 21 Oct 2019 10:17:08 EDT news490871813 One in four people in Western and Asian societies develop a build-up of fat in the liver as a result of an unhealthy diet. This disease – referred to as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) – causes no symptoms initially but can develop into end-stage liver cirrhosis with limited treatment options. A discovery, published today in Molecular Systems Biology, paves the way for a simple blood test to detect early stages of NAFLD, opening up the possibility of preventing the development of liver cirrhosis through lifestyle changes or pharmaceutical intervention. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-03-blood-early-stage-liver-disease.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 01 Mar 2019 08:21:24 EST news470650872 The recent discovery of microRNAs as key regulators of biological processes has fueled an explosion of research activity into their function in health and disease. Researchers have now uncovered a microRNA cluster that regulates synaptic strength and is involved in the control of social behaviour in mammals. The researchers presume that their discovery may point to new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of social deficits in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder or schizophrenia. The research is published today in EMBO Reports. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-12-role-micrornas-social-behavior.html Neuroscience Mon, 17 Dec 2018 09:20:01 EST news464260285 Celiac disease is a severe autoimmune disorder of the intestine. It occurs when people develop sensitivity to gluten, a substance found in wheat, rye, and barley. An international research team from Italy and France has now uncovered a new molecular player in the development of gluten intolerance. Their discovery, published in the EMBO Journal, suggests potential targets for the development of therapeutic approaches for the disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-11-treatment-gluten-intolerance.html Medical research Fri, 30 Nov 2018 09:43:35 EST news462793401 Cocaine can have a devastating effect on people. It directly stimulates the brain's reward center, and, more importantly, induces long-term changes to the reward circuitry that are responsible for addictive behaviors. Alban de Kerchove d'Exaerde from the Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium, and his colleagues have now uncovered that a gene called Maged1 plays a crucial role in controlling these pathological changes. This finding, published today in EMBO Reports, opens the door to further investigations into the molecular mechanisms underlying addiction-associated adaptations in the brain. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-07-gene-required-addictive-behavior.html Neuroscience Thu, 12 Jul 2018 10:11:16 EDT news450609065 For some blood transfusion patients, it is particularly difficult to find a compatible blood donor. Growing matching blood cells in the laboratory has long been an overarching goal of scientists for these patients. Research from Ashley Toye and colleagues at the University of Bristol, UK, and NHS Blood and Transplant has brought this vision one step closer to reality. The research is published today in EMBO Molecular Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-04-tailoring-blood-cells-laboratory.html Medical research Thu, 26 Apr 2018 10:12:16 EDT news443956313 There is, as yet, no cure for Alzheimer's disease. It is often argued that progress in drug research has been hampered by the fact that the disease can only be diagnosed when it is too late for an effective intervention. Alzheimer's disease is thought to begin long before patients show typical symptoms like memory loss. Scientists have now developed a blood test for Alzheimer's disease and found that it can detect early indicators of the disease long before the first symptoms appear in patients. The blood test would thus offer an opportunity to identify those at risk and may thereby open the door to new avenues in drug discovery. The research is published today in EMBO Molecular Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-04-blood-people-alzheimer-disease.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Fri, 06 Apr 2018 09:59:59 EDT news442227590 SourceData from EMBO is an award-winning open platform that allows researchers and publishers to share figures and their underlying data in a machine-readable, searchable format, making research papers discoverable based on their data content. As highlighted in today's paper in Nature Methods, SourceData offers a novel method to describe research data and a suite of tools to generate, validate and use this information, providing scientists with an efficient method to find and re-use published results. https://phys.org/news/2017-11-sourcedata-discoverable.html Other Wed, 01 Nov 2017 09:52:42 EDT news428748752 A gene called triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2, or TREM2, has been associated with numerous neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Frontotemporal lobar degeneration, Parkinson's disease, and Nasu-Hakola disease. Recently, a rare mutation in the gene has been shown to increase the risk for developing Alzheimer's disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-08-stabilizing-trem2-potential-strategy-combat.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Wed, 30 Aug 2017 10:10:20 EDT news423304957 There is increasing evidence that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increases the risk of developing dementia later in life. Researchers at the University Medical Center Göttingen, Germany, now shed light on the molecular mechanism that links the two disorders. The research is published today in the EMBO Journal. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-08-molecular-link-post-traumatic-stress-disorder.html Psychology & Psychiatry Wed, 02 Aug 2017 09:21:15 EDT news420884328 Most cancers require large amounts of glutamine for rapid growth and there are numerous studies indicating that they cannot survive without it, a phenomenon termed "glutamine addiction". This has fueled the idea that preventing tumors from glutamine uptake could be a potential therapeutic strategy. A study by researchers from Berlin and Würzburg, Germany, now concludes that while glutamine deprivation will halt the proliferation of certain tumor cells, most of them will not be killed, raising questions of whether such a therapeutic intervention will lead to remission in cancers. The study is published today in The EMBO Journal. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-04-tumor-cells-glutamine-addicts.html Oncology & Cancer Thu, 13 Apr 2017 11:40:01 EDT news411302389 An unhealthy diet changes the composition of the gut flora and it is generally assumed that this maladaptation called "dysbiosis" triggers disease. A study by Matteo Serino and his colleagues at the Université Paul Sabatier in Toulouse, France, now challenges this view. Using mice as a model organism, the researchers show that dysbiosis may have beneficial effects on liver metabolism and may protect against metabolic disease. The study is published today in Molecular Systems Biology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-03-gut-microbiota-unhealthy-diet-metabolic.html Medical research Fri, 17 Mar 2017 07:35:01 EDT news408954892 Many cancer patients that receive chemotherapy go into remission at first, but relapse after treatment is discontinued. There is increasing evidence that this is due to the presence of cancer stem cells—cells that reproduce indefinitely and may seed new tumors. A research group from Milan, Italy, now devised a strategy to specifically target cancer stem cells in some cancers and reduce their tumor-generating potential. The results are published today in EMBO Molecular Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-03-explore-potential-therapeutic-approach-cancer.html Oncology & Cancer Wed, 15 Mar 2017 10:02:29 EDT news408790942 How close to reality are brain organoids, and which molecular mechanisms underlie the remarkable self-organizing capacities of tissues? Researchers already have succeeded in growing so-called "cerebral organoids" in a dish - clusters of cells that self-organize into small brain-like structures. Juergen Knoblich and colleagues have now further characterized these organoids and publish their results today in The EMBO Journal. They demonstrate that, like in the human brain, so-called forebrain organizing centers orchestrate developmental processes in the organoid, and that organoids recapitulate the timing of neuronal differentiation events found in human brains. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-03-closer-brain-organoid.html Medical research Fri, 10 Mar 2017 11:40:02 EST news408367807 A common strategy to create high-yielding plants is hybrid breeding - crossing two different inbred lines to obtain characteristics superior to each parent. However, getting the inbred lines in the first place can be a hassle. Inbred lines consist of genetically uniform individuals and are created through numerous generations of self-crossing. In maize, the use of so-called "haploid inducers" provides a short cut to this cumbersome procedure, allowing to produce inbred lines in just one generation. A study by Laurine Gilles and colleagues, published today in The EMBO Journal, sheds light on the genetics behind haploid induction. "Knowing the molecular identity of haploid induction represents an important breakthrough to fully understand the fertilization process in plants, and hopefully will allow to translate this breeding tool to other species," said the study's senior author Dr. Thomas Widiez, an INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique) researcher at the École Normale Supérieure in Lyon, France. https://phys.org/news/2017-02-genetics-daddy.html Biotechnology Wed, 22 Feb 2017 11:21:45 EST news406984901 Addiction-related memories are exceptionally strong and stable, suggesting that addictive drugs remodel the brain's circuitry in a prominent and lasting way. In the past decade, researchers have used mouse models to unravel how cellular changes in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a brain structure involved in action selection associated with arousal and reward, may contribute to addiction-related behavior. Whereas neuronal remodeling in the NAc explains a wide range of addictive behaviors, it is not required for all of them, according to a study published today in The EMBO Journal. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-01-molecular-underpinnings-addiction-strong-addiction-related.html Neuroscience Wed, 11 Jan 2017 09:50:01 EST news403349592 A characteristic feature of Alzheimer's disease is the presence of so called amyloid plaques in the patient's brain - aggregates of misfolded proteins that clump together and damage nerve cells. Although the body has mechanisms to dispose these aggregates, it apparently cannot keep up with the load in the diseased brain. Researchers from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich and the Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU) Munich have now discovered a strategy to help the brain remove amyloid plaques. More precisely: they uncovered a factor that can activate microglial cells to engulf newly forming clumps in the brain. Microglia are the scavenger cells of the brain's immune system that function in keeping the brain tidy and free of any damaging material. The work is published today in The EMBO Journal. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-12-rejuvenating-brain-disposal.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Wed, 21 Dec 2016 10:55:39 EST news401540130 The loss of CHD1, one of the most frequently mutated genes in prostate tumors, sensitizes human prostate cancer cells to different drugs, including PARP inhibitors. This suggests CHD1 as a potential biomarker for targeted prostate cancer therapy. These are the results of a study published today in EMBO Reports. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-09-gene-defect-potential-gateway-prostate.html Oncology & Cancer Mon, 05 Sep 2016 11:03:00 EDT news392292157 Researchers at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University, the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), and the Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD) in Munich, Germany, have identified a brain inflammation marker in patients at early asymptomatic stages of Alzheimer's disease. This secreted marker molecule, which can be measured from cerebrospinal fluid taps, may provide clinicians with a rapidly detectable biomarker for the transition from preclinical Alzheimer's disease to cognitive impairment and progression to full dementia. Such is the conclusion of a multi-center study on a large group of human patients, published online in EMBO Molecular Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-03-biomarker-brain-inflammation-early-stage-alzheimer.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Thu, 03 Mar 2016 10:49:57 EST news376224571 Researchers at King's College London and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in the United Kingdom have for the first time demonstrated a direct link between the Wbp2 gene and progressive hearing loss. The scientists report that the loss of Wbp2 expression leads to progressive high-frequency hearing loss in mouse as well as in two clinical cases of children with deafness with no other obvious features. The results are published in EMBO Molecular Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-02-wbp2-deafness-gene.html Genetics Mon, 08 Feb 2016 09:12:56 EST news374145168 Researchers in Italy, Germany and the United States have identified a regulatory protein crucial for the development of Cerebral Cavernous Malformation – a severe and incurable disease mainly affecting the brain microvasculature. The results, which are published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, show that the KLF4 protein plays a central role in the development of CCM lesions. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-11-molecular-trigger-cerebral-cavernous-malformation.html Medical research Thu, 26 Nov 2015 12:24:46 EST news367763073