It has gone unnoticed in HIV research until now, but a transcriptomic analysis has detected a molecule that could kill this virus. Scientists at a U.S. military research institute laboratory have found a common factor in human cells that inhibited the replication of HIV-1 in people living with the virus. “Without any manipulation of cells in people with HIV, we have found a host factor that is inhibiting HIV in vivo,” the senior author Rasmi Thomas, chief of the Laboratory of Integrative Multiomics at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, told BioWorld. Using single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), the study published on Aug. 2, 2023, in Science Translational Medicine identified this host factor as prothymosin α, a protein isolated from the thymus in 1966 and described in 1984. Read More
Researchers from Oregon Health and Science University presented data from a study that aimed to identify and validate potential new therapeutic targets for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Systems immunology analysis utilizing mass cytometry (CyTOF) was used to assess α5 integrin expression in 78,293 single cells, including 21,250 CD45+/CD11b+ myeloid cells from CNS of superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD) G93A mouse model of ALS (SOD1G93A). Read More
Researchers have used multivariate statistical analysis to identify new genomic loci related to aging, and new potential drug targets. They reported their findings online in Nature Aging on Aug. 7, 2023. Aging is a multifaceted process, and whether it is going well or not is determined by multiple factors. Most aging studies, however, focus on individual aspects of aging. Read More
Human schistosomiasis is caused by parasitic flatworms in the genus Schistosoma, with the three major species that cause this disease being S. mansoni, S. haematobium, and S. japonicum. In the current study, researchers from University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio presented preclinical data for novel oxamniquine (OXA) derivatives as potential new candidates for the treatment of this neglected tropical disease. Read More
AGV Discovery SAS, in collaboration with scientists from Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Inserm and Universite de Montpellier, divulged azaindole derivatives acting as extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitors, particularly ERK2, reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer, inflammation, autoimmune disease, substance abuse and dependence, metabolic syndrome, neurodegeneration, HIV infection, and pain, among other disorders. Read More
Gri Bio Inc. reported data on its type 2 natural killer T (NKT) cell activator GRI-0803 at the Autoimmunity Conference hosted by FASEB earlier in August. The company is developing GRI-0803 in autoimmune diseases, with an initial focus of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Read More
Researchers from Jiangsu Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. and Shanghai Hansoh Biomedical Co. Ltd. have disclosed MAP kinase-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer, inflammatory disorders, atherosclerosis, diabetes and fibrosis, as well as metabolic and autoimmune diseases. Read More
Chiesi Farmaceutici SpA has patented TGF-β receptor type-1 (ALK5) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Read More
Dong Wha Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has defined histone-lysine N-methyltransferase EZH1 and/or EZH2 inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More
Shenzhen Salubris Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. has described integrin α4β7 (LPAM-1) antagonists reported to be useful for the treatment of gastroenteritis. Read More
