Zhang, M., Wan, Y. & Li, D. Predicted peptide scaffolds for drug screening in endometrial cancer organoids. Sci Rep 15, 37,408 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-21282-1
Category: biotech/medical – Page 34
Why does ALS take away body movement? The hidden burden that seals the fate of motor neurons
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is among the most challenging neurological disorders: relentlessly progressive, universally fatal, and without a cure even after more than a century and a half of research. Despite many advances, a key unanswered question remains—why do motor neurons, the cells that control body movement, degenerate while others are spared?
In a study appearing in Nature Communications, Kazuhide Asakawa and colleagues used single-cell–resolution imaging in transparent zebrafish to show that large spinal motor neurons —which generate strong body movements and are most vulnerable in ALS—operate under a constant, intrinsic burden of protein and organelle degradation.
These neurons maintain high baseline levels of autophagy, proteasome activity, and the unfolded protein response, suggesting a continuous struggle to maintain protein quality control.
In-utero exposure to maternal diabetes and DNA methylation alterations in the Next Generation birth cohort
The incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in youth is increasing and in-utero exposure to maternal diabetes is a known risk factor, with higher risk associated with pregestational T2D exposure compared to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) exposure. We hypothesize this differential risk is reflected in DNA methylation (DNAm) changes induced by differential timing of in-utero exposure to maternal diabetes, and that exposure to diabetes throughout pregnancy (T2D) compared to exposure later in development (GDM), induces different DNAm signatures and different T2D risk to offspring. This study presents an epigenome-wide investigation of DNAm alterations associated with in-utero exposure to either maternal pregestational T2D or GDM, to determine if the timing of prenatal diabetes exposure differentially alters DNAm.
We performed an epigenome-wide analysis on cord blood from 99 newborns exposed to pregestational T2D, 70 newborns exposed to GDM, and 41 unexposed to diabetes in-utero from the Next Generation birth cohort. Associations were tested using multiple linear regression models while adjusting for sex, maternal age, BMI, smoking status, gestational age, cord blood cell type proportions and batch effects.
We identified 27 differentially methylated sites associated with exposure to GDM, 27 sites associated with exposure to T2D, and 9 common sites associated with exposure to either GDM or T2D (adjusted p value 0.01). One site at CLDN15 and two unannotated sites were previously reported as associated with obesity. We also identified 87 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) associated with in-utero exposure to GDM and 69 DMRs associated with in-utero exposure to T2D. We identified 23 DMR sites that were previously associated with obesity, three with T2D and five with in-utero exposure to GDM. Furthermore, we identified six CpG sites in the PTPRN2 gene, a gene previously associated with DNAm differences in blood of youth with T2D from the same population.
Rare brain cell may hold key to preventing schizophrenia symptoms
Difficulty completing everyday tasks. Failing memory. Unusually poor concentration. For many people living with schizophrenia, cognitive challenges are part of daily life. Alongside well-known symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions, these difficulties can make it hard to live the life they want. That is why researchers at the University of Copenhagen are working to find ways to prevent such symptoms—and they may now be one step closer.
In a new study, researchers discovered that a specific type of brain cell is abnormally active in mice displaying schizophrenia-like behavior. When the researchers reduced the activity of these cells, the mice’s behavior changed. The findings are published in the journal Neuron.
“Current treatments for cognitive symptoms in patients with diagnoses such as schizophrenia are inadequate. We need to understand more about what causes these cognitive symptoms that are derived from impairments during brain development. Our study may be the first step toward a new, targeted treatment that can prevent cognitive symptoms,” says Professor Konstantin Khodosevich from the Biotech Research and Innovation Center at the University of Copenhagen, and one of the researchers behind the study.
Supercomputer-developed AI learns the intricate language of biomolecules
Scientists at the University of Glasgow have harnessed a powerful supercomputer, normally used by astronomers and physicists to study the universe, to develop a new machine learning model which can help translate the language of proteins.
In a new study published in Nature Communications, the cross-disciplinary team developed a large language model (LLM), called PLM-Interact, to better understand protein interactions, and even predict which mutations will impact how these crucial molecules “talk” to one another.
Early tests of PLM-interact, a protein language model (PLM), show that it outperforms competing models in understanding and predicting how proteins interact with one another. The team’s research demonstrates PLM-interact could help us better understand key areas of medical science, including the development of diseases such as cancer and virus infection.
Hair regrowth in just 20 days: Taiwanese researchers made a breakthrough hair serum that promises hair restoration within a month
In a breakthrough that could offer new hope to millions experiencing hair loss, researchers from National Taiwan University (NTU) have developed a rub-on serum that reportedly restores hair growth within 20 days. The innovative formulation, derived from natural fatty acids, has shown remarkable results in early laboratory tests and even in limited self-experiments by the study’s lead researcher.
The serum works by stimulating fat cells in the skin to regenerate hair follicles — a process inspired by the body’s natural response to irritation and injury. This mechanism, known as hypertrichosis, has long been linked to increased hair growth following skin damage or inflammation.
According to Professor Sung-Jan Lin, who led the study, the idea emerged from observing how minor skin irritation could trigger hair regeneration. ‘Skin injury not only induces tissue inflammation but also stimulates hair regeneration,’ Lin explained. ‘Our research shows that fatty acids can achieve similar effects safely and effectively.’
Researchers at National Taiwan University have developed a rub-on serum using natural fatty acids that reportedly stimulates hair growth within 20 days. Inspired by the body’s natural response to injury, the serum regenerates hair follicles by stimulating fat cells. The patented formulation has shown promising results in laboratory tests and self-experiments, with plans for human clinical trials.
Cardiometabolic and renal benefits of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors
In the past decade, the therapeutic scope of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors has expanded beyond glycaemic regulation in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this Review, Lim et al. discuss data from clinical studies of SGLT2 inhibitors, demonstrating their multifaceted cardiovascular, metabolic and renal effects, and elucidate the diverse mechanisms underpinning these benefits.
New rare genetic disease affecting motor neuron and muscle control identified
An international research team, led by Shinghua Ding at the University of Missouri, has identified a previously unknown genetic disease that affects movement and muscle control.
The disease—called Mutation in NAMPT Axonopathy (MINA) syndrome—causes damage to motor neurons, the nerve cells that send signals from the brain and spinal cord to muscles. It’s the result of a rare genetic mutation in a critical protein known as NAMPT, which helps the body’s cells make and use energy. When this protein doesn’t work as it should, cells can’t produce enough energy to stay healthy.
Over time, this lack of energy causes the cells to weaken and die, and leads to symptoms such as muscle weakness, loss of coordination and foot deformities—which can worsen over time. In severe cases, patients may eventually need a wheelchair.
Lung cancer cells in the brain form electrical connections with neurons that spur tumor growth
Small cell lung cancer often metastasizes to the brain. A Stanford Medicine-led study shows the cancer cells form synapses with neurons, and signaling across these synapses encourages tumor growth.
Combined HIV vaccines can act in concert to achieve diverse antibody priming
Researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology, Scripps Research, and the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard report coordinated studies showing that several HIV germline-targeting immunogens can be delivered together to activate multiple broadly neutralizing antibody precursors.
HIV vaccine design faces the challenge that B cells capable of maturing into broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAb) are exceptionally rare and poorly stimulated by standard antigens. Most immune responses concentrate on variable parts of the viral envelope rather than the conserved regions that would enable cross-strain protection from HIV.
Germline-targeting immunogens have been developed to engage those rare naive B cells directly, but until now, each construct was tested in isolation, leaving open whether several could be given at once without interference. In paired studies published in Science Immunology, investigators tested that question across two models using different vaccine formats.