May 03, 2025

Therapeutic Proteins to Cells

Engineered Extracellular Vesicles Could Deliver Gene Editors, Therapeutic Proteins to Cells




New research from scientists at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and their collaborators elsewhere describes a way of improving extracellular vesicles’ ability to transport things like therapeutic proteins and gene editors into cells. Specifically, their approach involves adding a small part of a bacterial protein called an intein and a fusogenic protein from a virus to the vesicles.

Full details are provided in a new Nature Communications paper titled, “Engineering of extracellular vesicles for efficient intracellular delivery of multimodal therapeutics including genome editors.” In the paper, the researchers explain that their work offers solutions to the “major bottlenecks of EV-mediated delivery of protein therapeutics, the enrichment of liberated active cargo into EVs, and their subsequent endosomal escape in recipient cells.” The added fusogenic protein, vesicular stomatitis virus G glycoprotein, helps the engineered vesicles fuse with the endosomal membrane and release their contents in the cell. Meanwhile, the added intein, which is derived from Mycobacterium tuberculosis recA, can cut itself to help release the therapeutic proteins inside the cell.

In experiments using cells and live animals, the researchers report being able to efficiently deliver Cre recombinase, a protein that can cut and paste DNA, and Cas9/sgRNA complexes for editing genes. When the extracellular vesicles loaded with Cre recombinase were injected into mice brains, the scientists observed a significant change in cells of the hippocampus and cortex. Specifically, the mice had “greater than 40% and 30% recombined cells in the hippocampus and cortex, respectively,” the researchers wrote. They also demonstrated how the technique could be used to treat systemic inflammation in mice by using engineered vesicles to deliver a super-repressor of NF-ĸB activity.

Commenting on the study, Samir EL Andaloussi, PhD, senior author on the study and a professor in Karolinska’s department of laboratory medicine, said that the engineering strategy overcomes barriers such as “poor endosomal escape and limited intracellular release.” Furthermore, “our in vivo findings highlight the potential of engineered EVs as a versatile platform for delivering therapeutics to treat a broad range of conditions, including systemic inflammation, genetic diseases, and neurological disorders,” he said.

Xiuming Liang, PhD, first author on the study and a research specialist in the department of laboratory medicine at Karolinska, added that “improving the efficiency and reliability of therapeutic delivery into target cells” could “significantly broaden the application of advanced medicines.” It opens up the possibility of using “CRISPR/Cas9 gene scissors or similar tools to treat severe genetic diseases of the central nervous system, such as Huntington’s disease and spinal muscular atrophy,” he said.

gene expression, genetic mutation, DNA sequencing, genome editing, CRISPR-Cas9, hereditary traits, gene therapy, molecular genetics, transcription factors, RNA splicing, epigenetics, SNP analysis, genome mapping, recombinant DNA, genetic code, protein synthesis, genotype, phenotype, chromosomal abnormalities, gene regulation

#GeneExpression, #GeneticMutation, #DNASequencing, #GenomeEditing, #CRISPRCas9, #HereditaryTraits, #GeneTherapy, #MolecularGenetics, #TranscriptionFactors, #RNASplicing, #Epigenetics, #SNPAnalysis, #GenomeMapping, #RecombinantDNA, #GeneticCode, #ProteinSynthesis, #Genotype, #Phenotype, #ChromosomalAbnormalities, #GeneRegulation

International Conference on Genetics and Genomics of Diseases

Visit: genetics-conferences.healthcarek.com

Award Nomination: genetics-conferences.healthcarek.com/award-nomination/?ecategory=Awards&rcategory=Awardee

Award registration: genetics-conferences.healthcarek.com/award-registration/

For Enquiries: contact@healthcarek.com

Get Connected Here
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
in.pinterest.com/Dorita0211
twitter.com/Dorita_02_11_
facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555903296992
instagram.com/p/C4ukfcOsK36
genetics-awards.blogspot.com/
youtube.com/@GeneticsHealthcare

May 02, 2025

Gene in Methionine Biosynthesis

SsMet1 is a Critical Gene in Methionine Biosynthesis in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum


Methionine, a key sulfur-containing amino acid, is involved in various important functions in cellular metabolism. Genes that encode enzymes to catalyze steps of the methionine biosynthesis pathway are essential for survival of fungi. The SsMet1 (SS1G_11000) gene in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is an orthologue of BcStr2, a gene characterized in Botrytis cinerea that plays a key role in methionine biosynthesis.

In this study, we characterized SsMet1 in S. sclerotiorum by creating SsMet1-deletion mutants, Met1-2 and Met1-4, using a split marker technique. The SsMet1-deletion mutants were unable to grow on minimal medium and did not produce sclerotia. Supplementation with methionine and homocysteine rescued the defects in mycelial growth, but not sclerotia development of the SsMet1-deletion mutants. These results indicate that SsMet1-deletion mutants are auxotrophic for methionine.

In addition, the SsMet1-deletion mutants exhibited increased sensitivity to osmotic and oxidative stresses, cell walldamaging agents, and thermal stress. The mutants were avirulent on detached bean leaves, but virulence was also restored with methionine supplementation in minimal media. All the defects were restored by genetic complementation of the mutant with wildtype SsMet1 allele. The results of this study indicate that SsMet1 plays a critical role in the regulation of various cellular processes in S. sclerotiorum.

homocysteine, cysteine, SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine), methyl donor, sulfur amino acids, transsulfuration pathway, folate cycle, vitamin B12, liver detoxification, antioxidant defense, glutathione synthesis, methionine restriction, amino acid metabolism, DNA methylation, one-carbon metabolism, metabolic health, taurine biosynthesis, nutritional biochemistry, methionine adenosyltransferase

#Methionine, #AminoAcids, #ProteinSynthesis, #Methylation, #SAMe, #Homocysteine, #Cysteine, #FolateCycle, #VitaminB12, #LiverHealth, #Antioxidants, #Glutathione, #Transsulfuration, #DNAHealth, #Epigenetics, #OneCarbonMetabolism, #MetabolicPathways, #NutritionalBiochemistry, #Taurine, #HealthResearch


International Conference on Genetics and Genomics of Diseases

Visit: genetics-conferences.healthcarek.com

Award Nomination: genetics-conferences.healthcarek.com/award-nomination/?ecategory=Awards&rcategory=Awardee

Award registration: genetics-conferences.healthcarek.com/award-registration/

For Enquiries: contact@healthcarek.com

Get Connected Here
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
in.pinterest.com/Dorita0211
twitter.com/Dorita_02_11_
facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555903296992
instagram.com/p/C4ukfcOsK36
genetics-awards.blogspot.com/
youtube.com/@GeneticsHealthcare

April 30, 2025

Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Outcome Predicted By Genetic Test


A genetic tool developed in Japan allows clinicians to determine which patients may benefit the most from pancreatic cancer surgery to remove advanced tumors after first undergoing treatment to shrink the tumors.

The tumor marker gene (TMG) model involves combining the patients’ genetics with that of their tumor and was able to differentiate between patients who did well after surgery and those who did not. The research team, led by Nagoya University, now wants to further develop the TMG model score they created and to validate it for potential wider use.

“We found that the TMG model could more accurately identify which patients would really benefit from surgery. This could prevent some from undergoing unnecessary procedures and offer surgical opportunities to others who might have been overlooked,” said lead investigator Haruyoshi Tanaka from the Department of Surgery at Nagoya University Hospital in a press statement.

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network predicts that 67,440 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year and 51,980 people are predicted to die from the disease. It is one of the deadliest cancers with 5-year survival rates ranging from 8-13% depending on the type of pancreatic cancer, mainly because it is often diagnosed at a late stage.

“Some patients with unresectable disease at diagnosis may achieve a remarkable response by multimodal therapy and undergo subsequent surgery (so-called ‘conversion surgery’),” write Tanaka and co-researchers in the British Journal of Surgery.

“However, determining the appropriate indications for conversion surgery often presents a formidable challenge.” New biomarkers for pancreatic cancer include carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), DUPAN-2, and FUT2 and FUT3 and tests for these biomarkers in the blood can detect pancreatic cancer with a good degree of accuracy.

CA19-9 and DUPAN-2 are glycoproteins produced by pancreatic cancer cells and FUT2 and FUT3 are enzymes produced by the body that modify the actions of these glycoproteins but are also active when no cancer is present.

In this study, Tanaka and colleagues tested the biomarker status of advanced pancreatic cancer patients undergoing pancreatectomy surgery after first receiving treatment to shrink their tumors. They found genetic differences between patients linked to disease status and created the TMG model based on their findings.

Overall, people with a high score on their model had a worse outcome than those with a low score even after successful surgery. Although further testing is needed, the researchers believe the TMG model could help personalize surgical timing or avoid unnecessary surgery in high-risk patients. It could also help select which patients would most benefit from conversion surgery.

Pancreatic cancer, tumor markers, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, cancer diagnosis, cancer staging, pancreatic tumors, KRAS mutation, CA19-9, Whipple procedure, metastasis, oncogene, radiotherapy, pancreatic ductal carcinoma, early detection, genetic predisposition, cancer biomarkers, palliative care, clinical trials

#PancreaticCancer, #CancerResearch, #Oncology, #PancreaticAdenocarcinoma, #CancerAwareness, #KRAS, #TumorBiomarkers, #WhippleProcedure, #CancerDiagnosis, #MetastaticCancer, #Chemotherapy, #Radiotherapy, #CancerTreatment, #PalliativeCare, #EarlyDetection, #GeneticTesting, #ClinicalTrials, #Immunotherapy, #CancerSupport, #SurvivorStories


International Conference on Genetics and Genomics of Diseases

Visit: genetics-conferences.healthcarek.com

Award Nomination: genetics-conferences.healthcarek.com/award-nomination/?ecategory=Awards&rcategory=Awardee

Award registration: genetics-conferences.healthcarek.com/award-registration/

For Enquiries: contact@healthcarek.com

Get Connected Here
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
in.pinterest.com/Dorita0211
twitter.com/Dorita_02_11_
facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555903296992
instagram.com/p/C4ukfcOsK36
genetics-awards.blogspot.com/
youtube.com/@GeneticsHealthcare

April 29, 2025

Human Brain Organoids

Human Brain Organoids Model Abnormal Prenatal Neural Development Induced by Thermal Stimulation



The developing human foetal brain is sensitive to thermal stimulation during pregnancy. However, the mechanisms by which heat exposure affects human foetal brain development remain unclear, largely due to the lack of appropriate research models for studying thermal stimulation. To address this, we have developed a periodic heating model based on brain organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells. The model recapitulated neurodevelopmental disruptions under prenatal heat exposure at the early stages, providing a paradigm for studying the altered neurodevelopment under environmental stimulation.

Our study found that periodic heat exposure led to decreased size and impaired neural tube development in the brain organoids. Bulk RNA-seq analysis revealed that the abnormal WNT signalling pathway and the reduction of G2/M progenitor cells might be involved in heat stimulation. Further investigation revealed increased neural differentiation and decreased proliferation under heat stimulation, indicating that periodic heat exposure might lead to abnormal brain development by altering key developmental processes.

Hence, our model of periodically heating brain organoids provides a platform for modelling the effects of maternal fever on foetal brain development and could be extended to applications in neurodevelopmental disorders intervention.

Maternal fever during pregnancy may induce thermal stress in both the mother and foetus, potentially resulting in embryonic death, structural and functional defects or reduced growth. The developing brain during pregnancy is sensitive to thermal damage, and the specific phenotype depends on the increase and duration of maternal temperature, as well as the developmental stage of thermal damage. Prospective and retrospective epidemiological investigations have underscored a potential association between early gestational hyperthermia and abnormal brain development, including neural tube defects (NTDs), brain atrophy and neuronal ectopia. Therefore, heat exposure during pregnancy may lead to irreversible changes in the structure and function of the developing foetal brain.

Animal experiments across various species have demonstrated that prenatal exposure to heat stress is associated with a series of detrimental outcomes to the foetal brain, including a decrease in brain weight, abnormal neurogenesis, microcephaly, and NTDs. These findings highlight the critical impacts of maternal thermal conditions on neurodevelopmental trajectories in offspring. However, due to the lack of human brain development models, studies on the mechanism by which heat stress altered brain development are limited. It is difficult to quantitatively extrapolate from animals to humans due to species differences, even different sensitivities and thresholds for hyperthermia-induced teratogenicity were shown within a species but different genotypes or strains. The demand to establish in vitro models of prenatal foetal brain development has become increasingly urgent .

Benefited by the development of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), 3D-cultured human brain organoids could model the endogenous microenvironment and biological processes of multifarious cells. Hence, brain organoids are widely used as in vitro models for toxicity tests including alcohol, nicotine and various viruses, as well as for studying different neurological diseases, especially in modelling diseases related to prenatal brain development. Therefore, brain organoids may provide an opportunity for modelling the effects of hyperthermia during pregnancy on human foetal brain development in vitro.

Here, we proposed a strategy to use human brain organoids derived from hPSCs as developing foetal brain models to undergo periodic heat exposure at 40°C to model the influence of maternal fever on foetal brain development. We found that brain organoids indicated a diminution in size and impaired neural tube development after periodically heating. Subsequent bulk RNA-seq unveiled upregulation of the WNT signalling pathway and neural differentiation transcription factors, coupled with a decline in G2/M progenitors in brain organoids after thermal stimulation. We thus confirmed that thermal damage led to attenuated proliferative activity within the ventricular zone (VZ) and augmented neural differentiation in the organoids. The proposed scheme of periodically heating brain organoids could offer a platform for research on mechanisms and drug screening in the study of foetal neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs).

human brain organoids, brain development, neural stem cells, cerebral organoids, 3D brain models, brain tissue engineering, neurogenesis, brain disease modeling, neurological disorders, brain-on-a-chip, iPSC-derived organoids, brain maturation, brain microenvironment, brain connectivity, neural circuits, mini-brains, brain organoid culture, brain aging studies, brain regeneration, neuropharmacology

#HumanBrainOrganoids, #BrainDevelopment, #NeuralStemCells, #CerebralOrganoids, #3DBrainModels, #BrainTissueEngineering, #Neurogenesis, #BrainDiseaseModeling, #NeurologicalDisorders, #BrainOnAChip, #iPSCOrganoids, #BrainMaturation, #BrainMicroenvironment, #NeuralCircuits, #MiniBrains, #BrainOrganoidCulture, #BrainAging, #BrainRegeneration, #Neuropharmacology, #StemCellResearch


International Conference on Genetics and Genomics of Diseases

Visit: genetics-conferences.healthcarek.com

Award Nomination: genetics-conferences.healthcarek.com/award-nomination/?ecategory=Awards&rcategory=Awardee

Award registration: genetics-conferences.healthcarek.com/award-registration/

For Enquiries: contact@healthcarek.com

Get Connected Here
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
in.pinterest.com/Dorita0211
twitter.com/Dorita_02_11_
facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555903296992
instagram.com/p/C4ukfcOsK36
genetics-awards.blogspot.com/
youtube.com/@GeneticsHealthcare

April 28, 2025

Dermatomyositis

Increased Risk of Dermatomyositis in Patients with Psoriasis: A Retrospective Cohort Study




Purpose


This study aimed to investigate the risk of dermatomyositis among patients with psoriasis in a large population.

Patients and Methods


Individuals aged ≥20 years with records in the TriNetX database from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2022 were included. Diagnoses of psoriasis, non-psoriasis, dermatomyositis, and associated comorbidities were established using the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) code. Patients who were diagnosed with dermatomyositis before the index date were excluded. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed in a 1:1 ratio between the psoriasis group and non-psoriasis group. Kaplan–Meier curves were used to determine the cumulative incidence of dermatomyositis, and the Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the hazard ratio between the two groups.

Results


After PSM, 301018 individuals were included in the psoriasis and non-psoriasis groups, respectively. A higher risk of dermatomyositis was identified in patients with psoriasis than in those without (HR: 2.41, 95% CI: 2.01–2.89). This elevated risk was further confirmed in various subgroup analyses. Specifically, patients with PsA exhibited a higher incidence of dermatomyositis than those without PsA (HR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.32–2.28). Patients treated with interleukin-17 inhibitors (IL-17i) showed a significantly higher risk of developing dermatomyositis compared to those naïve to biological agents (HR, 5.79; 95% CI, 1.57–21.31). In the European, Middle East, and Africa network and Asia-Pacific network, the risk of dermatomyositis in patients with psoriasis was higher than that in patients without psoriasis (HR (95% CI): 4.77 (1.40–16.10) and 2.50 (1.33–4.66), respectively).

Conclusion


This study revealed a higher risk of dermatomyositis in patients with psoriasis than in those without. The psoriatic patients with PsA or those who had received IL-17i treatment demonstrated a significantly higher risk of developing dermatomyositis.

dermatomyositis, inflammatory myopathy, autoimmune disease, muscle weakness, skin rash, heliotrope rash, Gottron’s papules, muscle biopsy, creatine kinase, anti-Mi-2 antibody, anti-MDA5 antibody, interstitial lung disease, calcinosis, dysphagia, proximal muscles, cutaneous manifestations, immunosuppressive therapy, corticosteroids, polymyositis, juvenile dermatomyositis

#dermatomyositis, #inflammatorymyopathy, #autoimmunedisease, #muscleweakness, #skinrash, #heliotroperash, #gottronspapules, #musclebiopsy, #creatinekinase, #antimi2, #antimda5, #interstitiallungdisease, #calcinosis, #dysphagia, #proximalmuscles, #cutaneousmanifestations, #immunosuppressive, #corticosteroids, #polymyositis, #juveniledermatomyositis


International Conference on Genetics and Genomics of Diseases

Visit: genetics-conferences.healthcarek.com

Award Nomination: genetics-conferences.healthcarek.com/award-nomination/?ecategory=Awards&rcategory=Awardee

Award registration: genetics-conferences.healthcarek.com/award-registration/

For Enquiries: contact@healthcarek.com

Get Connected Here
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
in.pinterest.com/Dorita0211
twitter.com/Dorita_02_11_
facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555903296992
instagram.com/p/C4ukfcOsK36
genetics-awards.blogspot.com/
youtube.com/@GeneticsHealthcare

April 26, 2025

Risk of Post-Stroke Depression

Association Between Four Non-Insulin-Based Insulin Resistance Indices and the Risk of Post-Stroke Depression


Research suggests that insulin resistance (IR) is associated with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and depression. The use of insulin-based IR assessments is complicated. Therefore, we explored the relationship between four non-insulin-based IR indices and post-stroke depression (PSD).

Patients and Methods


A total of 638 consecutive AIS patients were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. Clinical data were collected to compute indices such as the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index, triglyceride glucose-body mass index (TyG-BMI), insulin resistance metabolic score (METS-IR), and triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-C). One month post-stroke, neuropsychological assessments were conducted using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the relationship between the four non-insulin-based IR indices and PSD.

Results


Ultimately, 381 patients completed the 1-month follow-up, including 112 (29.4%) with PSD. The PSD group exhibited significantly higher levels of the four IR indices compared to the non-PSD group. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that these indicators were independently associated with PSD occurrence, both before and after adjusting for potential confounders (all P < 0.001). Tertile analyses indicated that the highest tertile group had a greater risk of PSD occurrence than the lowest tertile group for four IR indicators, even after adjusting for potential confounders (all P < 0.05). Restricted cubic spline analysis revealed a linear dose-response relationship between the four IR indices and PSD. In the subgroup analysis, only the TyG index showed a significant interaction with diabetes (P for interaction = 0.014). The area under curve values for the TyG index, TyG-BMI, METS-IR, and TG/HDL-C were 0.700, 0.721, 0.711, and 0.690, respectively.

Conclusion


High TyG index, TyG-BMI, METS-IR, and TG/HDL-C at baseline were independent risk factors for PSD in AIS. Each of these indicators exhibits predictive value for PSD occurrence, aiding in the early identification of high-risk groups.

Post-stroke depression, stroke recovery, neurological disorders, cognitive impairment, mood disorders, rehabilitation, serotonin imbalance, brain injury, psychological therapy, antidepressants, mental health, stroke survivors, emotional support, neuroplasticity, caregiver burden, quality of life, psychosocial factors, behavioral therapy, SSRI, early intervention,

#PostStrokeDepression, #StrokeRecovery, #MentalHealth, #NeurologicalDisorders, #BrainInjury, #DepressionAwareness, #StrokeSurvivors, #CognitiveHealth, #MoodDisorders, #RehabilitationMatters, #SerotoninBalance, #EmotionalSupport, #Neuroplasticity, #CaregiverSupport, #QualityOfLife, #PsychologicalTherapy, #BehavioralTherapy, #SSRI, #EarlyIntervention, #MentalWellness



International Conference on Genetics and Genomics of Diseases

Visit: genetics-conferences.healthcarek.com

Award Nomination: genetics-conferences.healthcarek.com/award-nomination/?ecategory=Awards&rcategory=Awardee

Award registration: genetics-conferences.healthcarek.com/award-registration/

For Enquiries: contact@healthcarek.com

Get Connected Here
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
in.pinterest.com/Dorita0211
twitter.com/Dorita_02_11_
facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555903296992
instagram.com/p/C4ukfcOsK36
genetics-awards.blogspot.com/
youtube.com/@GeneticsHealthcare

Therapeutic Proteins to Cells

Engineered Extracellular Vesicles Could Deliver Gene Editors, Therapeutic Proteins to Cells New research from scientists at the Karolinska I...