Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic autoinflammatory condition affecting the skin, the genetic mechanisms of which are not well understood. A group of researchers set out to explore the genetic background of familial HS by performing whole-exome sequencing on genomic DNA from patients.
Scientists at Ghent University have created a mouse model that incorporates human versions of the receptors that recognize the fragment crystallizable (Fc) region of immunoglobulin G (IgG), one of the most abundant antibodies in the blood and a key mediator of essential immune functions such as cellular activation, pathogen elimination and the regulation of inflammatory responses. These human Fcγ receptors allow the humanized mouse to more accurately reproduce IgG-driven biology, enabling more reliable and safer preclinical assays before evaluating monoclonal antibodies in clinical trials with people.
Researchers from the University of São Paulo (Brazil) first proposed using eccentric training as a promising intervention to address musculoskeletal impairments associated with Marfan syndrome. Eccentric training is a form of resistance exercise that focuses on muscle lengthening under load and can induce robust skeletal muscle adaptations, including the attenuation of muscle wasting, promotion of myofiber hypertrophy and stimulation of satellite cell activation and proliferation, as previously demonstrated.
The prevalence of asthma differs between men and women, and furthermore, the difference changes over the lifespan. “Asthma is more common in boys than girls, but more common in women than men,” Clare Lloyd told BioWorld. Females are particularly susceptible to asthma during developmental periods of hormonal changes, also known as puberty, pregnancy and menopause.
Hyperactivity of the transmembrane adaptor protein STING, which normally helps the cell respond to infection and injury, has been implicated in several autoimmune or inflammatory diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs gaining increasing attention due to their crucial role in gene expression regulation and influence in various cellular processes and diseases. miRNAs can be encapsulated in extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are released by most cell types to modulate gene expression in recipient cells.
Rezubio Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. has reported new drug conjugates comprising lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1 (LPAR1; EDG2) antagonists covalently linked to a hydrophilic moiety through a linker reported to be useful for the treatment of fibrosis.
NF-κB-inducing kinase (NIK), also known as MAP3K14, is the key kinase driving noncanonical NF-κB signaling and p100 processing. Researchers from China Pharmaceutical University reported the discovery and preclinical evaluation of a novel NIK inhibitor.
Increasing evidence exists regarding receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), a necroptosis regulator, being involved in inflammation and fibrosis in chronic liver disorders. The relationship between necroptosis and the inhibition of RIPK1 were investigated in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) in a recently published study using clinical specimens from patients.