Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease characterized by the death of motor neurons in conjunction with neuroinflammation and deposition of protein aggregates, such as TDP-43, in these neurons and oligodendrocytes. Progranulin is a growth factor that is essential for neuron survival and a regulator of anti-inflammatory responses.
At the 2024 Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s Diseases Conference this week, Michel Goedert from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge gave the Donald L. Price Memorial Plenary Lecture entitled, “Cryo-EM structures of disease filaments from human brains.” Donald Price was particularly well-known for his work on plaques and tangles in nonhuman aged primate brains and for the development of several animal models of neurodegenerative diseases.
Overall, the story of HIV is one of astounding success. But to declare victory, it will be necessary to develop a vaccine. The opening session of the 31st Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) 2024 looked back to the failures but also the advances in research, all the steps that over the years brought the basic science knowledge that could bring an HIV vaccine in the future. This year, the former director of the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory at the NIAID Vaccine Research Center, Barney Graham, was named for the Bernard Field Lecture, where he presented “Modern vaccinology: a legacy of HIV research.”
Additional early-stage research and drug discovery news in brief, from: Antion Biosciences, Aslan Pharmaceuticals, Coya Therapeutics, Cantargia, Immunitybio, Umecrine Cognition, Olema Pharmaceuticals, Rezolute.
Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Nextgen Bioscience Co. Ltd. and Yonsei University have jointly prepared purine derivative compounds acting as adenosine A3 receptor agonists reported to be useful for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Leidos Biomedical Research Inc. and Theras Inc. have jointly disclosed new GTPase KRAS (G12D mutant) inhibitors potentially useful for the treatment of cancer.
Work at Sonata Therapeutics Inc. has led to the creation of phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase, mitochondrial (PHGPx; GPX4) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune disease.
Shenzhen Zhongge Biotechnology Co. Ltd. has patented new translation initiation factor 2B (eIF2B) activators described as potentially useful for the treatment of viral infections, inflammation, cancer, neurodegeneration, autoimmune, eye, renal and dermatological disorders, among others.
Guangzhou Lianrui Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has identified benzo bicyclic compounds acting as glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists and reported to be useful for the treatment of diabetes, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and obesity.
Researchers from the Center of Biomedical Research (Lucknow) presented data from a study that assessed the functional significance the translocation of the regulator of G protein signaling 6 (RGS6) to the nucleus in response to cytotoxic stress.
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