Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine are exploring avenues to heal wounds by identifying proteins that are active in fetuses, but largely inactive in adults and absent in diabetic adults. They have identified a protein called nonselenocysteine-containing phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase, or NPGPx, that fits the bill and could be the basis for therapies aimed at diabetic wound healing. NPGPx is a direct transcriptional target of miR-29. miR-29 is downregulated in fetal tissue, thus NPGPx is active in fetal tissue but becomes mostly inactive in the skin after birth.
Metabolic health is at an odd juncture. With the advent of glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) agonists, pharmacologically induced weight loss has matured into a viable therapeutic option at long last. And research into the drug class is continuing apace.
Genprex Inc. has entered into a license agreement with the University of Pittsburgh designed to strengthen its diabetes program. The agreement grants Genprex a worldwide, exclusive license to certain patent applications and related technology and a worldwide, nonexclusive license to use certain related know-how, all related to modulating autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes by using gene therapy.
Scientists from Orsobio Inc. and affiliated organizations have described preclinical data for the novel liver-targeted mitochondrial protonophore TLC-6740, being developed for the treatment of metabolic disease. In vitro, mild mitochondrial uncoupling caused by TLC-6740 had pleotropic metabolic benefits in multiple cell lines. TLC-6740 increased mitochondrial potential, oxygen consumption rate and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle flux, and it also inhibited de novo lipogenesis with EC50 values of 6.9 µM.
It is largely known that oral drug delivery for macromolecules is often limited by the degradative environment of the gastrointestinal tract. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and their collaborators have presented Robocap, an oral mucus-clearing drug-delivery capsule that enhances the gastrointestinal absorption of drugs.
Researchers from the University of Coimbra presented data from a study that aimed to assess the role of the ghrelin/neuropeptide Y (NPY) system in adipose tissue in subjects with obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a bile acid-activated receptor and in the gut it is mainly expressed in the ileum, promoting transcription of fibroblast growth factor-19 (FGF-19), a hormone with positive effects on energetic and glucose homeostasis.
Researchers from University College Dublin and affiliated organizations presented data from a study that aimed to assess the role of α-melanocyte-stimulatory hormone (α-MSH) in diabetes.
A Surrozen Inc. research team has reported preclinical data for the novel frizzled class receptor 4 (FZD4) agonist, SZN-413, being evaluated for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy. In vitro studies using the Norrin mimetic (SZN-413-p) revealed that SZN-413-p induced Wnt/β-catenin signaling and upregulated blood-brain barrier/blood-retina barrier gene expressions in endothelial cells.