Scientists from the Centre for Genomic Regulation and collaborators have developed a new approach to limiting the amount of collagen produced by hyperactive fibroblasts, which could lead to effective treatments for fibrotic diseases and scarring.
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) have emerged as interesting targets for cancer therapy. There is growing evidence that RBPs are dysregulated in cancer, usually with abnormal expression and/or with the presence of mutations.
Lyme disease, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, is the leading tick-borne infection. Between 10% and 35% of patients show post-antibiotic treatment Lyme disease syndrome, with symptoms including fatigue, cognitive issues, memory loss, neuropathy, joint pain, musculoskeletal pain, sleep issues, depression and others.
Researchers from Lund University published data from a study that investigated the role of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), an extracellular matrix glycoprotein associated with the aggressiveness of several types of solid tumors, in ovarian cancer.
CD276-based immunotherapy strategies have demonstrated potent antitumor activity and feasibility for clinical application in solid tumors. In urothelial bladder cancer, CD276 is also aberrantly expressed. However, the exact role of CD276 in bladder cancer tumorigenesis and its potential clinical significance remain unexplored.
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type-9 (PCSK9) is highly expressed in adult hepatocytes. PCSK9 binds to and promotes the degradation of the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor, thereby increasing LDL cholesterol levels. PCSK9 inhibition has emerged as a promising strategy for cardiovascular diseases. However, it is still unclear whether PCSK9 can trigger blood vessel inflammation directly modulating monocytes or endothelial cells independently of LDL receptor.
A small molecule could provide a new therapeutic approach against organ fibrosis. Using genome-wide association (GWA) assays, a group of researchers from the Westmead Institute for Medical Research in Sydney identified Mer tyrosine kinase (MERTK) as a candidate to study fibrosis and showed that its inhibition with the experimental compound reduced this condition in mouse models’ liver, kidneys and lungs. “There were some studies on the role of MERTK in liver fibrosis, but its therapeutic potential for various organ fibrosis has not been explored before. This study provides unequivocal evidence that MERTK is a potent nodal regulator of fibrosis supported by detailed mechanistic studies,” the senior author Mohammed Eslam told BioWorld.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, shows different occurrence between sexes, being less prevalent in premenopausal women than in men or postmenopausal women.
Researchers from Catholic University of Korea published data from a study that investigated the effect of miRNA-21a-5p on fibrosis development in systemic sclerosis (SSc). With the aim of assessing the pathological impact of miRNA-21a-5p on skin and lung fibrosis in vivo, a bleomycin-induced SSc murine model was developed, and the mice were hydrodynamically injected with plasmids containing pre-miRNA-21a-5p or anti-miRNA-21a-5p.
Natural killer (NK) cells play a crucial role in cancer immunosurveillance. Circulating NK cells can kill target cells without prior sensitization. There are some receptors known to impact the activity of NK cells, such as the inhibitory NK cell receptor TIM3, among others, which recognizes phosphatidylserine on the surface of cells. More research has been performed using targeted or genome-wide CRISPR screening to identify cancer cell genes that impact NK cell-killing ability.
