The discovery of an “off switch” enzyme that can help prevent heart disease and diabetes is a significant breakthrough in the medical field. Scientists at The University of Texas at Arlington have identified an enzyme called IDO1, which plays a crucial role in inflammation regulation. By blocking this enzyme, researchers believe they can control inflammation and restore proper cholesterol processing.

Inflammation is a natural response to stress, injury, or infection, but when it becomes abnormal, it can lead to chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and dementia. The team found that IDO1 becomes activated during inflammation, producing a substance called kynurenine that interferes with how macrophages process cholesterol.

When IDO1 is blocked, however, macrophages regain their ability to absorb cholesterol, suggesting a new way to prevent heart disease by keeping cholesterol levels in check. The researchers also discovered that another enzyme linked to inflammation, nitric oxide synthase (NOS), worsens the effects of IDO1.

The findings are crucial because they suggest that understanding how to prevent inflammation-related diseases could lead to new treatments for conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and others. The research team plans to further investigate the interaction between IDO1 and cholesterol regulation, with the goal of finding a safe way to block this enzyme and develop effective drugs to combat chronic diseases.

The discovery is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), indicating the importance of this research in advancing our understanding of inflammation-related diseases. With further study, it’s possible that we may see a new era in disease prevention and treatment, giving hope to millions of people affected by these conditions.

The world’s plastic pollution crisis has reached alarming levels, threatening both planetary and human health. Recycling is often touted as a solution, but a new study reveals a disturbing truth: a single pellet of recycled plastic can contain over 80 different chemicals. Researchers from the University of Gothenburg and Leipzig have shown that these hazardous substances can leach into water, causing impacts on hormone systems and lipid metabolism in zebrafish larvae.

The study, which soaked plastic pellets in water for 48 hours before exposing zebrafish larvae to the resulting mixture, found increases in gene expression related to lipid metabolism, adipogenesis, and endocrine regulation. The researchers emphasized that these short leaching times and exposure periods are yet another indicator of the risks posed by chemicals in plastics.

Previous research has shown similar effects on humans, including threats to reproductive health and obesity from exposure to toxic chemicals in plastics. Some chemicals used as additives in plastics and substances that contaminate plastics can disturb hormones, with potential impacts on fertility, child development, links to certain cancers, and metabolic disorders.

“This is the main obstacle with the idea of recycling plastic,” said Professor Bethanie Carney Almroth. “We never have full knowledge of what chemicals will end up in an item made of recycled plastic. And there is also a significant risk of chemical mixing events occurring, which render the recycled plastic toxic.”

The researchers analyzed the chemicals leaching from the plastic pellets and found common plastics chemicals, including UV-stabilizers and plasticizers, as well as chemicals not used as additives, such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and biocides. These may have contaminated the plastics during their first use phase prior to becoming waste and being recycled.

The study’s findings have significant implications for a Global Plastics Treaty currently being negotiated under the United Nations Environmental Program. The authors stress that negotiators and decision-makers must include provisions to ban or reduce hazardous chemicals in plastics, and to increase transparency and reporting along plastics value chains.

“This work clearly demonstrates the need to address toxic chemicals in plastics materials and products across their life cycle,” said Professor Bethanie Carney Almroth. “We cannot safely produce and use recycled plastics if we cannot trace chemicals throughout production, use, and waste phases.”

The FDA has faced criticism over its handling of the approval process for AstraZeneca’s ticagrelor, a multibillion-dollar medication used to treat acute coronary syndrome. The concerns were raised by an investigation conducted by The BMJ, which found serious issues with key platelet studies that supported the drug’s approval.

For over a decade, ticagrelor has been recommended for patients suffering from sudden reduced blood flow to the heart. However, in December last year, The BMJ uncovered data integrity problems in the landmark clinical trial (PLATO) used to gain worldwide approval for the medication. This led to questions about the drug’s advantage over cheaper rivals.

The latest investigation by The BMJ delves deeper into two crucial platelet studies that AstraZeneca claimed explained ticagrelor’s effectiveness in treating acute coronary syndrome. Unfortunately, it has been discovered that the primary endpoint results for both trials were inaccurately reported in the leading cardiology journal, Circulation.

What’s more, an analysis of data from platelet machines used in these trials revealed that over 60 out of 282 readings were missing from FDA datasets. This raises serious concerns about the reliability and accuracy of the research conducted on ticagrelor.

Victor Serebruany, an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins University and a prominent critic of ticagrelor, expressed his shock and disappointment in an interview with The BMJ. He stated that “there are episodes of skyrocketing rebound and profound platelet inhibition after ticagrelor making patients prone to thrombosis or bleeding.” If doctors had known about these issues during the trials, they would have never started using ticagrelor.

The lack of transparency in AstraZeneca’s research is concerning, especially when coupled with the FDA’s failure to address the problems. The need for accurate and reliable data in healthcare cannot be overstated, as it directly impacts patient care and treatment outcomes. As Serebruany aptly put it, “It’s been obvious for years that there is something wrong with the data. That the FDA’s leadership could look past all these problems…is unconscionable.”