Nutrients direct intestinal stem cell function and affect aging
The capacity of intestinal stem cells to maintain cellular balance in the gut decreases upon ageing. Researchers at the University of Helsinki have discovered a new mechanism of action between the nutrient adaptation of intestinal stem cells and ageing. The finding may make a difference when seeking ways to maintain the functional capacity of the […]
A non-allergenic wheat protein for growing better cultivated meat
As the world’s population increases, cultivated or lab-grown meat — animal muscle and fat cells grown in laboratory conditions — has emerged as a potential way to satisfy future protein needs. And edible, inexpensive plant proteins could be used to grow these cell cultures. Now, researchers in ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering report that the […]
Main regulator for the body`s ‘oven’ discovered
Brown fat cells convert energy into heat — a key to eliminating unwanted fat deposits. In addition, they also protect against cardiovascular diseases. Researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the Transdisciplinary Research Area “Life & Health” at the University of Bonn have now identified the protein EPAC1 as a new pharmacological target to […]
Epigenetic signature for obesity found in study of twins
A susceptibility to gain weight may be written into molecular processes of human cells, a Washington State University study indicates. The proof-of-concept study with a set of 22 twins found an epigenetic signature in buccal or cheek cells appearing only for the twins who were obese compared to their thinner siblings. With more research, the […]
Red blood cells exposed to oxygen deficiency protect against myocardial infarction
Red blood cells exposed to oxygen deficiency protect against myocardial infarction, according to a new KI study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. The study also shows that the protective effect is enhanced by a nitrate-rich vegetable diet. Red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to all of the body’s cells and carbon […]
Alternative cellular ‘fuels’ boost immunity
A metabolic by-product that is more prevalent during fasting may supercharge immune cells as they fight infection and disease, reports an early stage study by Van Andel Institute scientists and collaborators. The findings, published today in Immunity, may pave the way for future personalized dietary recommendations to augment treatments for infection, cancer and other diseases. […]
Stem Cell Medical Tourism Leads to Meningitis in MS Patient
A woman with multiple sclerosis (MS) who had intrathecal injections of umbilical cord stem cells in Mexico ended up with a severe Mycobacterium abscessus infection that took weeks to identify and treat, according to a case study. In October 2022, the woman in her 30s traveled to Baja California, Mexico, and received two lumbar punctures […]
Base-Edited CAR-T Product ‘Potent’ in Relapsed Childhood T-Cell ALL
The use of base editing to generate universal off-the-shelf chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in patients with relapsed T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) should be further investigated based on promising interim results from a phase I study. In one of three patients — a 13-year-old girl who had relapsed T-cell ALL after allogeneic stem […]
Researchers pinpoint brain cells that drive appetite in obesity
A team at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research has discovered a group of brain cells that boosts appetite when there is a prolonged surplus of energy in the body, such as excess fat accumulation in obesity. The researchers discovered that these cells not only produced the appetite-stimulating molecule NPY, but they in fact made […]
Cells refine palm fat into olive oil: Study provides the first precise insight into important remodeling processes in adipose tissue
Fat molecules serve as energy storage for fat cells. They consist of three fatty acids attached to a backbone of glycerol. They are therefore also called triglycerides. It has long been suspected that molecules do not remain unchanged during their storage period. Instead, they are regularly broken down and reassembled — a process called “triglyceride […]