Gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors in adults. Among them, the high-grade glioblastomas (GBMs) are particularly known to be notoriously aggressive and invasive, which makes it challenging to treat them. The disease rapidly progresses to an advanced stage in a short span of time, and the survival of […]
Like priming a pump, cells damaged by chronic lung disease can result in severe COVID
The results of a study by an international scientific team co-led by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, suggest that—like pouring water atop a wellhead before pumping—the airway cells of patients with chronic lung diseases are “primed” for infection by the COVID-19 virus, resulting […]
How cells keep gene silencing in check
Long considered ‘junk,” non-coding RNAs have emerged as important regulators of diverse cellular processes, including the silencing of genes. Working in yeast, researchers from the Bühler group have identified more than 20 mutations that enable RNA-mediated gene silencing. The findings could improve our understanding of the factors that keep gene […]
Zombie cells hold clues to spinal cord injury repair
Mammals have a poor ability to recover after a spinal cord injury, which can result in paralysis. A main reason for this is the formation of a complex scar associated with chronic inflammation that produces a cellular microenvironment blocking tissue repair. Now, a research team led by Leonor Saude, group […]
Blood stem cells make brain tumors more aggressive
For the first time, scientists from the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) partner site in Essen/Düsseldorf have discovered stem cells of the hematopoietic system in glioblastomas, the most aggressive form of brain tumor. These hematopoietic stem cells promote division of the cancer cells and at the same time suppress the immune […]
Cells burn more calories after just one bout of moderate aerobic exercise, study finds
In a recent study testing the effects of exercise on overall metabolism, researchers at Oregon State University found that even a single session of moderate aerobic exercise makes a difference in the cells of otherwise sedentary people. Mitochondria are the part of the cell responsible for the biological process of […]
Engineered ‘off the shelf’ stem cells target breast cancer that metastasizes to the brain
Approximately 15-to-30 percent of patients with metastatic breast cancer have brain metastasis (BM), with basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) metastasizing to the brain most frequently. The prognosis for BLBC-BM patients is poor, as the blood-brain barrier prevents most therapeutics from reaching the brain. Testing candidate therapies in clinical trials is also […]
Star-shaped brain cells may be linked to stuttering
Astrocytes—star-shaped cells in the brain that are actively involved in brain function—may play an important role in stuttering, a study led by a University of California, Riverside, expert on stuttering has found. “Our study suggests that treatment with the medication risperidone leads to increased activity of the striatum in persons […]