The article highlights the advantages of intranasal vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, including needle-free administration and elicitation of mucosal immunity in the respiratory tract. Researchers argue that this approach may be more effective than traditional intramuscular vaccinations, offering a broader range of protection.
Researchers developed a small molecule that reads through premature stop codons in genes, restoring CFTR protein function. The compound, SRI-41315, showed greater readthrough efficiency than its predecessor, SRI-37240, and acted synergistically with G418.
A preclinical study identifies a small molecule inhibitor, KCN1, that dampens tumor drivers and limits disease progression. The study showed KCN1 to be well-tolerated and effective at reducing metastasis, suggesting potential as a treatment for metastatic uveal melanoma.
Researchers have identified a novel virulence trait of Streptococcus pneumoniae that increases the severity of S. pneumoniae superinfection following flu. The surface protein PspA, previously known to have several other virulence mechanisms, now functions as an adhesin to dying lung epithelial cells. This finding provides further expla...
Researchers found no protection against Parkinson's and Lewy body dementias when reducing tau protein in brain neurons. Instead, the study highlights distinct roles of tau in these diseases compared to Alzheimer's, where reducing endogenous tau levels is protective.
A comprehensive health-screening program in rural northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, has identified a high burden of undiagnosed or poorly controlled non-communicable diseases. The study found that four out of five women over the age of 30 were living with chronic health conditions, highlighting the need for urgent interventions.
Summer Thyme, a University of Alabama at Birmingham assistant professor, is one of five Pew Scholars focusing on brain research. Her $75,000 grant will support her four-year investigation into neurodevelopmental disease using zebrafish.
The COVID-19 Vaccine Data and Safety Monitoring Board reviewed three formal interim efficacy analyses of trials for Moderna, Janssen, and AstraZeneca. The board's goal is to assure public independence and lack of interference while operating under exceptional conditions.
Researchers have shown that injecting heart muscle cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells that overexpress cyclin D2 can aid heart attack recovery. The treatment stimulates proliferation of existing heart muscle cells and promotes angiogenesis, a development of new blood vessels.
Researchers found selective patterns of antibody reactivity to microbiota flagellins among Crohn's disease patients, with augmented serum IgG antibodies to Lachnospiraceae flagellins. These findings suggest a potential target for prognosis and personalized therapies in Crohn's disease.
Researchers created a low-cost ultrasound training phantom to train treatment of trigger fingers using ultrasound guidance. The 3D-printed anatomical finger model, embedded in ballistic gelatin, allows for precise insertion of a syringe needle and mimics human anatomy and echogenic appearance.
Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have discovered a novel protein transport system in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, allowing the release of its toxin, tuberculosis necrotizing toxin (TNT), into human macrophages. The study reveals that two small Esx proteins form pores in membranes to facilitate TNT secretion.
A University of Alabama at Birmingham study found that cytosine-p-guanine, or CpG, methylation of the DNA in the heart is associated with differences in heart-failure outcomes. The researchers also discovered that African American patients had higher rates of death from heart failure compared to Caucasian patients, suggesting a link be...
A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has identified a synergy between ICOS ligand and interleukin-10 that promotes mutualism with the gut microbiota. The research found that mice deficient in ICOSL had increased frequencies of IL-10-producing CD4+ T cells, which were crucial for preventing severe inf...
Researchers found a link between citrullinated vimentin, produced by lung macrophages in response to environmental pollutants, and the development of lung fibrosis. The study suggests that targeting PAD2 enzyme could attenuate cadmium/carbon black-induced fibrosis.
New research in mice reveals a crucial link between the gut mycobiome and host metabolic outcomes. The study found that exposure to processed diets led to persistent differences in fungal communities, which correlated with differential body mass deposition and metabolic disturbance.
Researchers found that hypoxia upregulates RNA polymerase I activity and alters ribosomal RNA methylation patterns, leading to the creation of specialized ribosomes that can differentially regulate translation of specific messenger RNAs. The study supports a long-debated postulate that ribosomal protein factories can be reprogrammed in...
A 72-year-old immunodeficient patient was cured of severe COVID-19 after receiving a single infusion of her son-in-law's convalescent plasma. The infusion resulted in an extremely high rise in her neutralizing antibody titers, which persisted for four days.
The UAB team created hollow polymer capsules that can track cancer drug delivery using PET imaging, targeting solid tumors and releasing anticancer drugs upon rupture. The system overcomes limitations in current PET-guided theranostic agents with stable zirconium-89 binding.
A recent study found that patients taking metformin before COVID-19 diagnosis had a threefold decrease in mortality. The study also suggests that metformin's anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic effects may be responsible for this benefit.
Researchers found that individuals recovering from COVID-19 experienced prolonged immune system activation and exhaustion, particularly in the elderly. This dysregulation can hinder the development of protective immunity and increase susceptibility to secondary infections.
A potential preventative treatment for Crohn's disease has been demonstrated using a triple-punch treatment to remove T memory cells and increase T regulatory cells, preventing colitis in both mouse models and patient cells. This treatment approach may offer a new immunotherapy to prevent or ameliorate inflammatory bowel disease.
This atlas of S. pneumoniae and host gene expression provides a comprehensive understanding of the pathogen's adaptation to different body locations and the host's response. Certain bacterial genes are highly expressed across all anatomical sites, making them ideal targets for new treatments.
A team of researchers used a novel approach to study the human gene responsible for Meier-Gorlin syndrome, a rare genetic disorder causing dwarfism and skeletal abnormalities. They discovered that a mutation in this gene affects its ability to bind to DNA, leading to defective cell division and growth.
Researchers have found that reductive stress promotes protein aggregation and impaired neurogenesis in neuroblastoma cells. This suggests a new role for reductive stress in the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's.
Researchers discovered a new epigenetic function for CHD7, which regulates cardiac neural crest cell development. The study also found that a single point mutation in the CHD7 gene can cause severe developmental defects and embryonic lethality.
Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have identified a novel population of neurons, called saccade-vergence burst neurons (SVBNs), that control disjunctive saccades in 3D space. These findings could lead to new treatments for strabismus, a condition where eyes don't properly align.
Researchers found that infant gut microbial ecosystems develop unique patterns of stability, with changes influenced by diet and antibiotic exposure. The study used genomic tools to analyze massive amounts of genetic data and identified individual strains within single species of the gut microbiome.
Researchers at UAB have developed a biocompatible coating that delays allograft and autoimmune-mediated rejection in mouse models of T1D. The coating, consisting of multiple layers of tannic acid, protects transplanted islets from immune cells and oxidative stress.
The NIH-funded Center for Precision Animal Modeling (C-PAM) at UAB enables precise diagnoses and treatments by creating patient-specific disease models. C-PAM's cutting-edge capabilities will help predict possible treatments that can be tested in the models, aiding in the search for unique therapies.
Researchers found that exosomes secreted by cardiac cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells improved myocardial recovery and reduced arrhythmia in pigs. The treatment showed regenerative benefits equivalent to injecting living cells, without increasing the risk of tumorigenesis.
Researchers built an interactome that includes a human lung cell host network integrated with a SARS-CoV-2 network, revealing potential molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets for COVID-19. The study identified 33 high-value SARS-CoV-2 targets involved in viral entry, proliferation, and survival.
Researchers have found pro-inflammatory lipids that precede Type 1 diabetes onset in a mouse model and high-risk children. The findings suggest that these lipids may serve as biomarkers for the disease and offer a therapeutic target to prevent its development.
A study published in Physiological Reviews suggests that elevated plasmin levels may contribute to COVID-19 susceptibility. Researchers propose using a drug that inhibits plasmin to reduce the virus's infectivity and virulence, with an ongoing clinical trial testing this hypothesis.
A new study published in Nutrition and Metabolism found that an eight-week very low-carbohydrate diet improved body composition, fat distribution, and metabolic health in older adults with obesity. The diet also preserved skeletal muscle mass without intentional caloric restriction.
The COVID-19 virus acts as a microRNA sponge, depleting specific miRNAs that regulate cell metabolism and stress responses. This depletion promotes infected cell survival, allowing the virus to replicate and evade the host's immune system.
A comprehensive genomic study of cervical cancers in sub-Saharan Africa has identified unique features associated with HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients. The study found distinct gene expression patterns for HPV types and epigenetic changes linked to aggressive tumors, providing potential treatment options.
Researchers identified phosphoprotein biomarkers to guide cancer therapy, demonstrating a novel approach for identifying and detecting tumor drivers. The study's findings suggest that precision medicine is a realizable goal for rare and recalcitrant cancers.
A new drug candidate, SRI-37330, has been discovered to improve four detrimental characteristics of diabetes: high blood sugar, glucagon elevation, excessive glucose production by the liver, and fatty liver. The compound is non-toxic, orally bioavailable, and highly effective in human islets and mouse models.
Research identifies two functionally distinct sub-circuits in the sensory thalamus that process distinct classes of information. These circuits enable powerful new optogenetic and chemogenetic strategies to probe behavioral and perceptual functions, potentially shedding light on conscious awareness and epilepsy.
Research found that combining magnesium sulfate and corticosteroids before birth reduces severe neurodevelopmental impairment and death in extremely preterm children. The study analyzed medical records of over 3,000 infants born between 2011 and 2014.
Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have identified a complex gene program that regulates brain changes in response to cocaine. By using single-nucleus RNA sequencing approaches, they found that only a small fraction of neurons in the nucleus accumbens were transcriptionally responsive to cocaine administration.
A mouse study found that early exposure to vaccine- or microbiota-derived antigens significantly affects antibody diversity in adults. B-1 B cells, a subset of immune cells, were found to have diverse antibody responses in mice with normal gut microbiota versus those grown in sterile germ-free conditions.
Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that biomechanical forces in the tumor microenvironment enhance breast cancer cell growth, invasion, and metastasis. The study also discovered that exosome production plays a key role in promoting aggressive tumor growth and inducing immune suppression.
A novel treatment combining FGF1 and CHIR99021 significantly reduced the size of dead heart tissue and improved left ventricle function in animal models. The treatment also promoted cell growth, angiogenesis, and prevented apoptosis, offering a potential breakthrough in cardiovascular sciences.
A study by Haydeh Payami and colleagues identifies a significant overabundance of opportunistic pathogens in the guts of persons with PD, compared to control subjects. The findings suggest that these microbes may play a role in triggering the disease, but more research is needed to confirm this association.
Researchers found that early genetic restoration of the SHANK3 gene rescued behaviors associated with autism spectrum disorder, including social interaction and repetitive grooming. The study suggests that genetic intervention in SHANK3-related ASD may be most effective earlier in development.
Researchers at UAB and SUNY-Buffalo found no retinal degeneration in mice with a K42E mutation of the DHDDS enzyme, but massive gliotic activation in their retinas. This challenges the conventional view of RP59 as a congenital disorder of glycosylation.
Research found that complement gene variants contribute to sex-based differences in vulnerability to autoimmune diseases lupus and Sjögren's syndrome, as well as mental disorder schizophrenia. Complement protein levels vary between men and women, with different age-related elevations and effects on disease incidence.
A study by University of Alabama at Birmingham researcher Nita Limdi and colleagues found that patients with loss-of-function variants who were treated with clopidogrel had elevated risks of heart attacks and death. In contrast, prasugrel or ticagrelor proved to be more effective and cost-effective alternatives for genotype-guided anti...