Month: March 2021

Categories : CancerTags :

Natural ‘Brake’ Keeps Neuroblastomas Benign

On By ModernMedia

Researchers have found that a signal molecule produced by Schwann cells found in benign neuroblastomas acts as a natural ‘brake’ keeping them benign and preventing their uncontrolled growth. This also works on malignant neuroblastoma cultures. 

While energising a tumour with a growth factor to halt it does not sound logical, with neuroblastomas the Schwann cells trigger the maturation of nerve cells and bring the growth to a halt.

Schwann cells produce a signalling molecule called epidermal growth factor like 8 (EGFL8). The researchers showed that EGFL8 stimulates the differentiation, or maturation, of neuroblastoma cells. “Until recently, we only knew that this protein existed, but its function was not known. We now for the first time know where EGFL8 is produced and how it acts,” explained study author Sabine Taschner-Mandl, PhD, head of the Tumor Biology Group at St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Institute. The study results also showed that high levels of EGFL8 were linked to improved survival rates in neuroblastoma patients.

“In cell cultures, we have demonstrated that Schwann cells as well as their secreted signaling molecules exert anti-tumour effects, even in aggressive neuroblastoma cells. Thus, we are able to exploit a process that occurs naturally in benign neuroblastomas to stop the malignant ones,” Sabine Taschner-Mandl and her colleague Tamara Weiss, PhD, from the Medical University of Vienna, explained. 

However, there is still much to be discovered about how the interplay of Schwann cells with the rest of the body; currently the researchers are examining how they interact with immune cells.

The study also uncovered a significant finding: that Schwann cells in benign neuroblastomas have a similar cellular status to those that support healing in injured peripheral nerves. Schwann cells in the tumour were found to express repair-associated genes and demonstrated repair functions. “It is amazing that we have discovered a signalling molecule that plays a role in both tumour development of benign neuroblastomas and regeneration of injured nerves. Since EGFL8 stimulates the formation of nerve cell extensions, it could be of great importance for the treatment of injured nerve fibers”, said Tamara Weiss.

Source: Medical Xpress

Journal information: Schwann cell plasticity regulates neuroblastic tumor cell differentiation via epidermal growth factor like protein 8, Nature Communications (2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21859-0

Categories : COVIDTags :

Netherlands and Ireland Suspend AstraZeneca Vaccine Over Blood Clots

On By ModernMedia

In the wake of reports from Norway of blood clots in people shortly after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine, the Netherlands and Ireland have suspended its use.

The Dutch Health ministry on Sunday said that there was still no evidence of a direct link between the vaccine and possible adverse effects from Norway and Denmark, and there were no reported cases in the Netherlands.

“We can’t allow any doubts about the vaccine,” Dutch health minister Hugo de Jonge said. “We have to make sure everything is right, so it is wise to pause for now.”

Earlier on Sunday Ireland’s deputy chief medical officer, Dr Ronan Glynn, said that deployment of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which makes up 20% of the country’s 570 000 doses given so far, should be “temporarily deferred” with immediate effect as recommended by the country’s National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). However, he emphasised that there was no proof that blood clots had been caused by the vaccine.

The first blood clots were reported in Austria, and prompted a wave of concern, with Denmark suspending the AstraZeneca vaccine, along with the north of Italy. These latest cases in Norway resulted in three hospitalisations and one death.

The Norwegian Medicines Agency said the four people who had the AstraZeneca injection all had reduced numbers of blood platelets. It added: “People under the age of 50 who have received the AstraZeneca vaccine and feel increasingly unwell more than three days after vaccination, and who notice larger or smaller blue spots in the skin (skin haemorrhages) must consult a doctor or out-of-hours medical service as soon as possible.

“Similar incidents have been reported in other European countries, and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is considering whether there may be an association with the coronavirus vaccines. So far, no conclusion has been reached.”

Professor Karina Butler, head of NIAC, said it was acting out of an abundance of caution but wanted a better understanding of this unanticipated cluster of “very serious” clotting events in younger people.

There were similarities to other cases reported elsewhere in Europe, she added. It was necessary to know “was there a possibility of a relationship with the vaccine, something which was rare but very serious and could have significant outcomes”, she said to Virgin Media News.

The agency did not yet know whether more blood clots were happening than expected in the population generally. “But they do seem to have clustered together at a level and in younger people – I mean less than 65 – where we wouldn’t necessarily have expected them to happen and thus the question was should we just pause until we get that information, because above all we want to maintain confidence in the vaccine programme so that people can feel that what they are getting is safe, that any serious safety signal is being thoroughly investigated,” she said. 

In a statement, Dr Glynn said: “It has not been concluded that there is any link between the Covid-19 vaccine AstraZeneca and these cases. However, acting on the precautionary principle, and pending receipt of further information, the NIAC has recommended the temporary deferral of the Covid-19 vaccine AstraZeneca vaccination programme in Ireland.”

Source: The Guardian

Categories : Cancer Environmental EffectsTags :

Brominated Flame Retardants May Raise Breast Cancer Risk

On By ModernMedia

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are present in a wide variety of household fixtures and furniture, and particles of this may increase the risk of breast cancer through prolonged exposure at critical times in a woman’s life.

BFRs are endocrine disruptors, and since they are not tightly bound to the substances they are included into, they are able to escape into the household environment. Endocrine disruptors can be problematic to protect against since they can exert harmful effects even at low doses. Exposure to endocrine disruptors is most disruptive in the foetal stage and during infancy; these compounds also easily cross the placental boundary and are found in breast milk. At high exposures, cells have a toxic response, but at a low dose, similar to the levels of naturally occurring hormones, endocrine dysregulation is the outcome.

Exposure to these compounds can cause problems for organs such as mammary glands, which are sensitive to hormones, which BFRs can mimic. “BFRs pose a significant risk, particularly during sensitive periods, from intrauterine life to puberty and during pregnancy,” said Professor Plante, co-director of the Intersectoral Centre for Endocrine Disruptor Analysis and environmental toxicologist.

The researchers exposed female rodents to a mixture of BFRs, similar to that found in house dust, prior to mating, during gestation and during lactation. Biologists were able to observe the effects on the offspring at two stages of development and on the mothers.

Early development of mammary glands was seen in prepubertal rats. For pubescent rats, the results, published in 2019, showed a deregulation of intercellular communication. Similar effects were observed in female genitors in a 2017 study. All of these effects are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.

In the early 2000s, observation showed that human exposure to BFRs peaked, Professor Isabelle Plante pointed out. “Young women exposed to BFRs in utero and through breastfeeding are now in the early stages of fertility. Their mothers are in their fifties, a period of increased risk for breast cancer,” said Prof Plante. This is why the team is currently studying endocrine disruptors related to a predisposition to breast cancer, funded by the Breast Cancer Foundation and the Cancer Research Society.

In all three studies, most of the effects were observed at a low dose, raising questions about the current legislation for endocrine disruptors. “To evaluate the ‘safe’ dose, experts give an increasing dose and then, when they observe an effect, identify it as the maximum dose. With endocrine disruptors, the long-term consequences would be caused by lower doses,” reported Prof Plante.

Source: Medical Xpress

Journal information: Rita-Josiane Gouesse et al, In Utero and Lactational Exposure to an Environmentally Relevant Mixture of Brominated Flame Retardants Induces a Premature Development of the Mammary Glands, Toxicological Sciences (2020). DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfaa176

Categories : GastrointestinalTags :

A Fungus in Certain Foods Slows Intestinal Healing

On By ModernMedia

A study has found that a fungus found in certain foods such as cheese and processed meats can cause intestinal injuries in humans and mice with Crohn’s disease to fester and impeding healing.

These findings, from researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Cleveland Clinic, suggest that there is potentially a diet-based way to treat Crohn’s disease.

“We’re not suggesting that people stop eating cheese and processed meat; that would be going far beyond what we know right now,” said first author Umang Jain, PhD, an instructor in pathology & immunology at the School of Medicine. “What we know is that this foodborne fungus gets into inflamed, injured tissue and causes harm. We’re planning to perform a larger study in people to figure out if there’s a correlation between diet and the abundance of this fungus in the intestine. If so, it is possible dietary modulation could lower levels of the fungus and thereby reduce symptoms of Crohn’s disease.”

Crohn’s disease is driven by chronic inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and immunosuppressive medication is the usual treatment. Crohn’s patients endure flare-ups where digestive tracts are dotted with inflamed, open sores that can persist for up to months.

To understand why intestinal ulcers heal so slowly in some people, the researchers studied mice with injured intestines. By sequencing microbial DNA at the site of injury, they discovered that the fungus Debaryomyces hansenii was abundant in wounds but not in uninjured parts of the intestine. D. hansenii can be found in all kinds of cheeses, as well as sausages, beer, wine and other fermented foods.

Introducing D. hansenii into mice with injured intestines slowed down the healing process, and eliminating the fungus with amphotericin B sped it up. In humans, the researchers discovered  D. hansenii in seven out of seven of people with Crohn’s disease, and another analysis of Crohn’s patients found D. hansenii present but only in sites of injury and inflammation. 

“If you look at stool samples from healthy people, this fungus is highly abundant,” Jain said. “It goes into your body and comes out again. But people with Crohn’s disease have a defect in the intestinal barrier that enables the fungus to get into the tissue and survive there. And then it makes itself at home in ulcers and sites of inflammation and prevents those areas from healing.”

Their results suggest that elimination of the fungus could allow wounds to heal normally again, and minimise flare-ups. In mouse studies, amphotericin B eliminated the fungus but it is of limited use in people since it can only be administered intravenously, therefore an oral antifungal is being researched.

“Crohn’s disease is fundamentally an inflammatory disease, so even if we figured out how to improve wound healing, we wouldn’t be curing the disease,” Jain said. “But in people with Crohn’s, impaired wound healing causes a lot of suffering. If we can show that depleting this fungus in people’s bodies—either by dietary changes or with antifungal medications—could improve wound healing, then it may affect the quality of life in ways that we’ve not been able to do with more traditional approaches.”

Source: Medical Xpress

Journal information: U. Jain et al., “Debaryomyces is enriched in Crohn’s disease intestinal tissue and impairs healing in mice,” Science (2021). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi … 1126/science.abd0919

Categories : Obstetrics & GynaecologyTags :

Rate of Twin Births At A Global High

On By ModernMedia
Image by atomicqq from Pixabay

The first comprehensive global survey of twinning has reported an enormous increase in the number of twin births around the world, but appears to be plateauing.

One main reason for the increase is that, due to IVF and other fertility services being more readily available, the number of non-identical twin births is increasing. This is due to practices such as hormone stimulation releasing multiple ova, as well as the now discouraged practice of releasing multiple embryos into the womb in IVF. A systematic review also found that with IVF, letting embryos mature before implantation is also linked to increased odds of monozygotic twins. as well as women becoming pregnant later in life – age increases the likelihood of having natural, non-identical twins, peaking at age 35 to 39.

However, instead of continuing to climb, there are signs that twin births have reached a maximum.

“The trends are really quite striking,” said Christiaan Monden, a professor of sociology and demography at Oxford University. “Over the past 40 to 50 years we’ve seen a strong increase in twinning rates in rich, developed countries, and that has led to more twins in both a relative and an absolute sense than we’ve seen ever before.”

The researchers analysed twinning rates from 2010 to 2015 in 165 countries, which covered 99% of the world’s population. In 112 of those countries, they examined further birth records for 1980 to 1985. 

Although Africa is still the leading continent for twin births, other regions are catching up. The researchers found that, since the 1980s, twinning rates have risen from 9 to 12 per 1000 births, with the greatest rise in more developed regions such as  America (71%), Europe (60%) and Asia (32%).

In the UK, twinning rates rose about 62% but are thought to have fallen since the launch of a campaign to reduce multiple births in 2007. 

Raj Mathur, the chair of the British Fertility Society and a consultant gynaecologist at St Mary’s Hospital, said: “It doesn’t surprise us that twinning rates have increased because the availability of assisted reproduction has increased and also because women are slightly older when they have their first children, and both those things will increase the twin rate.[…]

“I think we’ve reached a peak in terms of twinning rates from medical interventions, certainly in the developed world, but the spread of IVF in Africa and South America is still rather limited on a per capita basis, and there are vast numbers of sub-fertile people in Africa particularly who don’t have access to IVF.

Dr Mathur added a note of caution about IVF, as twins have more risks such as lower birth weights and higher still birth and infant mortality rates

“The challenge will be how to spread IVF to them without also giving them higher twin rates. The majority of twin babies are absolutely fine, but there is no doubt that a twin pregnancy carries greater risks for the mother and the baby, so when we can avoid it we should avoid it. The principle we follow is neatly summed up by the phrase ‘one at a time’,” Mathur said.

Source: The Guardian

Categories : Lab Tests and ImagingTags :

Retinal Images Could Provide Stroke and Dementia Warning

On By ModernMedia

In the future, images of the retina could warn of a person’s increased risk of stroke and dementia, making it possible to take preventive measures.

These findings come from preliminary research to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2021.

Retinopathy is damage to the retina from injury or disease, commonly associated with diabetes. People with severe retinopathy are more likely to have a diseased-looking brain on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Retinal tissue has the highest consumption of oxygen in the body, and is the most vulnerable to oxidative stress. Most causes of retinopathy involve damage to the retinal and choroidal circulatory systems.

Study Lead Author Michelle P  Lin, MD., MPH, Neurologist at Mayo Clinic explained:”The retina is a window to the brain. A retinal photo that shows a magnified look at the back of the eye, including the retina and optic nerve, is cheaper and faster to perform than an MRI, so we’re wondering if it might be a good screening tool to see who could benefit from a referral to a neurologist for a brain MRI.”

In addition to the ophthalmologist’s office, retinal photos could be taken by a smartphone camera or via a smartphone adapter, Lin said.

Researchers explored the association of retinopathy with stroke, dementia, and the risk of death in 5543 adults who had participated in the annual US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) from 2005 to 2008. Interviews were conducted with the participants on a number of aspects of their medical history and health behaviours. Additionally, they received a retinal scan photo to look for signs of retinopathy.

Compared with participants not diagnosed with retinopathy, those with retinopathy were more than twice as likely to have had a stroke. They were also  nearly 70% more likely to have dementia; and more likely to die within the next 10 years, with increasing severity of retinopathy conferring a higher risk of death. The odds were calculated after adjusting for risk factors such as age, hypertension, diabetes and smoking.

“If you have retinopathy, work closely with your primary care doctor to alter your vascular risk factors and ask to be screened for cognitive impairment. You may be referred to a neurologist for evaluation and possibly a brain MRI,” said Dr Lin, who is also an assistant professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.

Source: News-Medical.Net

Categories : GenderTags :

Article Highlights Lack of Healthcare’s Anaemia Support for Women

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An article entitled  “The misogyny of iron deficiency”, published today in Anesthesia addresses the history of anaemia and how women’s health has often been overlooked.

The article was written by researchers from The University of Western Australia and University College London coincides with International Women’s Day. Sex differences in haemoglobin begins in puberty due to the effects of menstruation on iron stores and also varies by age, and can be affected by factors such as smoking and pregnancy.

Team lead Professor Toby Richards, Lawrence-Brown Chair in Vascular Surgery at UWA, is calling for greater recognition and equality for women’s health. He said that one in three women would need to take iron supplements at some point in their life.

“Our figures show that up to 18 percent of women who appear fit and healthy are actually deficient in iron, with heavy menstrual bleeding the most common cause. Symptoms reported by women range from fatigue to brain fog, hair loss and eating ice,” Prof Richards said.

Iron deficiency was a particular problem for women involved in fitness or sport with up to one in five athletes affected, he added.

“Issues with a women’s menstrual cycle and particularly heavy periods are surprisingly common and often not recognized with more than half also suffering iron deficiency.

“It’s so common it’s hiding in plain sight and both are under-diagnosed issues in women’s health. Unfortunately, there has been a dogma to accept these as ‘in the normal range’ for women,” said Prof Richards.

Prof Richards’ team also recently surveyed two groups of women, including 68 triathletes and 181 students, at UWA’s recent Orientation Day.

The women completed a simple questionnaire about previous iron status, menstrual blood loss, diet and motherhood. They were then tested for anaemia. Of the 181 women tested 14.5% were anaemic and most were unaware.

“This is alarming that so many apparently fit and healthy women are actually anemic, which may impact on their physical and mental health,” said Prof Richards.

He said many women simply coped with constant tiredness among a host of other symptoms, without addressing the root cause.

“We want to raise awareness of these conditions and help women recognize the signs and symptoms, in order to get the treatment that their body needs to improve their health and welfare.”

Source: News-Medical.Net

Categories : Lab Tests and Imaging Neurodegenerative DiseasesTags :

A Non-invasive Parkinson’s Test Inspired by Scent

On By ModernMedia

A  skin swab test has been developed for Parkinson’s disease, based on biomarker analysis of sebum, the oils that protect the skin – and it has a surprising inspiration. 

This comes about after the remarkable discovery of a woman’s ability to detect a certain smell in people who had the disease. 

Joy Milne, a retired nurse, noticed a “musky” scent on her husband years before he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. A series of tests showed that she could detect the presence of Parkinson’s disease in people with 100% based on smell alone, prompting research which isolated the compounds she was smelling: higher concentrations of hippuric acid, eicosane, and octadecanal.

In order to exploit these biomarkers, researchers developed a mass spectrometry test to pick up their levels in sebum obtained with skin swabs. This has proved to be around 80% accurate.

Prof Perdita Barran said: “We believe that our results are an extremely encouraging step towards tests that could be used to help diagnose and monitor Parkinson’s.

“Not only is the test quick, simple and painless but it should also be extremely cost-effective because it uses existing technology that is already widely available.

“We are now looking to take our findings forwards to refine the test to improve accuracy even further and to take steps towards making this a test that can be used in the NHS and to develop more precise diagnostics and better treatment for this debilitating condition.”

This new test with its high reliability could help the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, which can be easily missed, especially in the early stages.
Daxa Kalayci, 56, was misdiagnosed several times over four years before finally finding out she had Parkinson’s in 2019.

“I was misdiagnosed with anxiety, stress-related tremors and told that my problems stemmed from going through the menopause,” she said.

“Despite my diagnosis eventually being confirmed… a quick and simple diagnostic test for Parkinson’s would have given me the chance to start my treatment earlier and enjoy life a lot more.

“But instead, I lost so many years not being able to pursue a career as a paramedic or go back to nursing.

“This test could be a game-changer for people living with Parkinson’s and searching for answers, like I was.”

Source: BBC News

Categories : COVID GeneticsTags :

Bat Coronavirus 94.5% Similar to SARS-CoV-2 Found

On By ModernMedia

Researchers in China and Australia have reported the discovery of novel bat coronaviruses with a similarity of up to 94.5% to SARS-CoV-2. 

This finding further illuminates the diversity and complex evolutionary history of these viruses. A pre-print version of the research paper is available on the bioRxiv server.

Now, Weifeng Shi from Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences in Taian, China and colleagues have conducted a meta-transcriptomic analysis of samples collected from 23 bat species in Yunnan province in China during 2019 and 2020.  

Using a combination of genome sequencing and sampling studies, researchers identified a number of SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses in wildlife species that together pointed to underestimation of the phylogenetic and genomic diversity of coronaviruses.

“Our study highlights both the remarkable diversity of bat viruses at the local scale and that relatives of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV circulate in wildlife species in a broad geographic region of Southeast Asia and southern China,” said the team.

Bats are hosts to a broad range of viruses that can infect humans, and four of the seven known human coronaviruses have zoonotic origins.  They are also host to many coronaviruses, but sometimes “intermediate” hosts such as dromedary camels (MERS-CoV) are involved in the jump to humans.

Retrospective genome sequencing and sampling studies identified a number of SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses in wildlife species. These included the RaTG13 virus, which is the closest known relative of SARS-CoV-2,  found in the Rhinolophus affinis bat. SARS-CoV-2-related viruses have also been identified in various other Rhinolophid bats across Asia.

“Collectively, these studies indicate that bats across a broad swathe of Asia harbour coronaviruses that are closely related to SARS-CoV-2 and that the phylogenetic and genomic diversity of these viruses has likely been underestimated,” said Shi and colleagues.

Notably, one of these novel bat coronaviruses – RpYN06 – exhibited 94.5% sequence identity to SARS-CoV-2 across the whole genome, with key similarities in certain genes. Low genopmic sequence identity in the spike gene made RpYN06 the second closest relative of SARS-CoV-2, next to RaTG13. This is far more similar than seen in other SARS-CoV-2-like viruses identified in wildlife species.

Indeed, while the other three SARS-CoV-2-related viruses identified here were almost identical in sequence, the spike protein sequences formed an independent lineage that was separated from known sarbecoviruses (a  viral subgenus or the coronaviruses that  includesSARS-CoV-2)   by a relatively long branch.

“Collectively, these results highlight the extremely high, and likely underestimated, genetic diversity of the sarbecovirus spike proteins, which likely reflects their adaptive flexibility,” wrote Shi and colleagues.

The researchers say studies have previously shown that host switching of coronaviruses among bats is a frequent occurrence.

Source: News-Medical.Net

Journal information: Shi W, et al. Identification of novel bat coronaviruses sheds light on the evolutionary origins of SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses. bioRxiv. 2021. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.03.08.434390

Categories : Cancer New Compounds and TreatmentsTags :

Novel Glioblastoma Drug Can Cross The Blood-brain Barrier

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An experimental spherical nucleic acid (SNA) drug was able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and trigger glioblastoma tumour cell death in an early clinical trial.

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive brain tumour, accounting for 16% of cases. It affects 3.2 per 100 000 people, at an average age of 64 years although it can appear at any time.

The new drug, NU-0129, is the first SNA drug developed for systemic use. The SNA groups RNA or DNA around a nanoparticle. A revolutionary new class of drugs, it can be adapted to a number of neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s.

“We showed the drug, NU-0129, even at very small doses, causes tumour cells to undergo what’s called apoptosis or programmed cell death,” said lead investigator Dr Priya Kumthekar, associate professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Northwestern Medicine physician. “It’s a remarkable finding in humans that confirms what we had previously seen in our animal studies.”

The study participants received the drug intravenously prior to surgery to remove the tumour. The researchers team studied the tumours to determine how well the drug crossed the blood-brain barrier and its effect on their cells.

“This unique 3D design has the ability to infiltrate tumor cells to correct the genes inside and make them susceptible for therapy-induced killing,” said senior author Alexander Stegh, an associate professor of neurology at Northwestern.

Unusually, the drug was developed entirely within the university without involving pharmaceutical licensing.
“We want to move the technology forward as quickly as possible because there are patients with a disease with no current cure,” Kumthekar said.

Dr Leon Platanias, director of the Lurie Cancer Center, said, “These exciting findings for the first time support the potential of spherical nucleic acids for drug delivery to brain tumors. They may prove to have important long-term translational implications for the treatment of these tumours.”

Source: Medical Xpress

Journal information: P. Kumthekar el al., “A first-in-human phase 0 clinical study of RNA interference–based spherical nucleic acids in patients with recurrent glioblastoma,” Science Translational Medicine (2021). stm.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/ … scitranslmed.abb3945