Although radiotherapy is widely used in cancer treatment, its effects on the tumor microenvironment (TME) can be immunosuppressive as well as immunostimulatory. Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is expressed by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in several tumors, with higher levels linked to a weakened immune response to immune checkpoint blockade in patients.
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have uncovered a key mechanism underlying the treatment resistance of melanoma with the BRAF V600E mutation through pathways involved in focal adhesion and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. These two processes remodel the tumor cell environment in melanoma through the RAF/MEK cell signaling pathway. However, the combined use of FAK inhibitors with a RAF-MEK clamp overcame this resistance.
Whole genome sequencing has substantially accelerated the pace of discovery of genes that cause rare diseases, but while this has brought the diagnostic odyssey of some patients to a conclusion, 50% to 80% remain undiagnosed after initial analysis.
Epigenetic editing is a promising method for gene regulation in vitro and in vivo, allowing precise control of gene expression without altering the DNA sequence, thereby minimizing genotoxic risks.
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an immune-driven inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nervous system characterized by muscle weakness and paralysis. Despite treatment options, GBS stays severe, with a mortality rate of 3%-10%. The mechanisms behind GBS are poorly understood and new therapeutic options are needed.
Aminoglycoside antibiotics are essential for treating some severe bacterial infections but are notorious for causing irreversible hearing loss in 20%-47% of patients.
RAS G12D is one of the most frequent mutations in RAS, and when it occurs, it leaves RAS in a permanently active state, causing the cell to proliferate uncontrollably. Examples of the so-called RAS-addicted cancers are colorectal cancer or pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Immunostimulant therapy using agonistic cytokines or activating antibodies has been associated with off-target side effects, failure to preferentially activate cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTLs) over regulatory T cells (Treg), and the development of T-cell exhaustion. With the aim of overcoming these issues, researchers from Recourse Biologics Inc. designed a potentially first-in-class immunostimulatory fusion protein.
Dimicare Biotech and affiliated organizations have presented the discovery and preclinical characterization of DCB-001, a trichloroacetimidamide compound being developed as a novel precision antibiotic against multidrug-resistant strains.
The new gene therapy aims to address the root cause of prion disease by using the CHARM epigenetic editing platform from the Whitehead Institute to target and silence the gene that codes for the disease-causing protein.
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