Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) is a severe pathologic condition associated with poor outcomes when individuals suffer from hemorrhagic shock, liver resection or transplantation surgery, leading to severe liver impairment and sometimes dysfunction in other organs. Chinese researchers have explored the potential of prolyl 3-hydroxylase OGFOD1 as a target for HIRI management, since it has been reported as a crucial regulator of gene expression, especially for translation.
In previous work, researchers from CEINGE (Naples, Italy) and collaborating institutions developed an alternative gene therapy strategy based on the expression of a secreted fusion protein, including the extracellular portion of the human LDLR for LDL binding, linked to rabbit transferrin (TF), targeting the transferrin receptor (TFr), resulting in internalization and uptake of LDL particles. They have now published more recent work to further improve the efficacy and safety of this strategy.
The potential of G9A as a therapeutic target was investigated in vitro in vascular smooth muscle cells as well as in vivo in a murine model of vascular intimal hyperplasia.
Animate Biosciences Inc.’s lead therapeutic peptide MBb32 produced a significant reduction in cardiac scar tissue and subsequent recovery of heart function in a mouse model of severe myocardial injury.
China Pharmaceutical University has prepared and tested sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase (SMPD1; aSMase) inhibitors potentially useful for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Alzheimer’s disease, depression, diabetes, hepatic steatosis and stroke, among others.
Vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) and cerebral small vessel disease are among the leading causes of dementia, where inflammation is known to play a crucial role. Researchers from Augusta University in the U.S. hypothesized that inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome with MCC-950 may improve cognitive decline and cerebral blood flow in a murine model of VCID.
At the recent International Stroke Conference, researchers from VST Bio Corp. and Yale University presented preclinical data regarding VB-001, a monoclonal antibody that targets syndecan 2 (SDC2) and is also known as VST-002.
The malfunction of lymphatic drainage that occurs in lymphedema leads to excessive cholesterol accumulation in the affected skin and lymphatic vessels, causing inflammation and fibrosis. However, surgery and the chemical reduction of accumulated cholesterol with cyclodextrin reduce inflammation and regenerate lymphatic vessels. Cholesterol is a potential therapeutic target for treating lymphedema, according to this study published on Feb. 11, 2026, in Nature by Veronique Angeli and her colleagues.
Hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HIBI) is a condition affecting neonates and is a leading global cause of perinatal neurological morbidity, with limited therapeutic options. Regarding its pathogenesis, the ion channel-kinase transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) is a known contributor to HIBI pathology and was the focus of a recently reported study.