The neural and neuroimmune mechanisms behind myocardial infarction-triggered cardiac events, immune responses and activation of the nervous system remain largely unexplored. The heart and the brain talk to each other in what is known as cardioception. This communication between the two organs is orchestrated through neurons of the vagus nerve or the dorsal root ganglia, among others. Researchers from the University of California, San Diego have now shown that the dynamics of these interactions may play a crucial role in modulating inflammation, repair and cardiac functioning.
Bone metastasis represents a challenge in cancer therapy because of the independency of immunosuppression, neuropathic pain and osteolytic destruction. Recent evidence has suggested the tumor microenvironment can be reshaped through the activation of stimulator of interferon genes protein (STING) and pyroptosis induction.
The immune system is a critical factor of host survival, allowing resistance to infections and maintaining tissue integrity. The activation of immune responses requires precise regulation to assure a balance between the benefits and costs of these responses. Moreover, the theory of antagonistic pleiotropy proposes that traits beneficial to early-life fitness may sustain costs that manifest later in life, after the period of strongest natural selection, where aging introduces further complexities for cooperative defenses. As a result of this, hosts of different ages may manifest distinct disease courses despite infection with the same pathogen.
Researchers from the Medical School of Nanjing University hypothesized that in ulcerative colitis, the gut-resident macrophages may be compromised, leading to impaired integrity of the epithelial barrier. “From a basic science standpoint, our work uncovers a novel etiology of ulcerative colitis. From a translational perspective, it identifies a promising therapeutic target, potentially paving the way for developing effective drugs to treat or even cure the disease,” senior author Minsheng Zhu told BioWorld.
Researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine have characterized 100 conserved Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk orthologue genes in Drosophila and found several with unknown roles in brain structure, function and stress resilience. The implication of this finding is that new pathways of neurodegeneration have been revealed, offering new insights into the genetic complexity of AD.
Do men’s and women’s brains age equally? Women are more often diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) than men. Age is the primary known risk factor for AD prevalence, and both aging and AD are associated with brain atrophy, but it is still not clear whether men and women differ regarding brain decline in aging.
Do men’s and women’s brains age equally? Women are more often diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) than men. Age is the primary known risk factor for AD prevalence, and both aging and AD are associated with brain atrophy, but it is still not clear whether men and women differ regarding brain decline in aging. There is mixed evidence regarding this topic, since most of the larger studies have shown an abrupt decay of total gray matter and hippocampal volume in men, but other studies have found steeper total gray matter decline in women.
Tumors suffer metabolic stress, such as oxygen and nutrient deficiency; as a result, altered metabolism is a common feature of tumors. Cancer cells enhance the production of energy and the synthesis of macromolecules to grow at pathologically increased rates. It is crucial to identify genes that modulate cellular fitness under these stressful scenarios.
Is there a link between cellular senescence and multiple sclerosis (MS) progression? Several presentations at this year’s European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis 2025 (ECTRIMS 2025) conference, in Barcelona, which ended Sept. 26, addressed this question
Is there a link between cellular senescence and multiple sclerosis (MS) progression? Several presentations at this year’s European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis 2025 (ECTRIMS 2025) conference, which ends today in Barcelona, addressed this question.
