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Cold and Flu

“Unlocking the Mystery: Scientists Discover How to Break Down Brain Cell Clumps and Develop New Treatment”

Scientists have discovered how harmful clumps inside brain cells—linked to diseases like ALS and Huntington’s—form, and found a way to break them apart. These sticky tangles of RNA develop inside tiny liquid-like droplets in cells and can linger long after their surroundings vanish. By introducing a special protein, the team could stop the clumps from forming, and with a custom-designed piece of RNA, they could even dissolve them.

Published

1 day ago

August 9, 2025

Veronic D.

Scientists at the University at Buffalo have made a groundbreaking discovery that could revolutionize our understanding of brain cell clumps associated with neurodegenerative diseases like Huntington’s and ALS.

For decades, researchers have struggled to understand how these solid-like clusters of RNA form in brain cells, making it challenging to develop effective treatments. The mystery was finally cracked when the University at Buffalo team uncovered that tiny droplets of protein and nucleic acids in cells contribute to the formation of RNA clusters.

But what’s even more remarkable is that the researchers not only figured out how these clusters form but also demonstrated a way to prevent and disassemble them using an engineered strand of RNA known as an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO).

“This is a major breakthrough,” said Priya Banerjee, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Physics at the UB College of Arts and Sciences. “We’re not only able to understand how these clusters form but also find a way to break them apart.”

The team’s study published in Nature Chemistry reveals that RNA-binding protein G3BP1 can prevent cluster formation by binding to sticky RNA molecules, while an ASO can disassemble the existing clusters. The researchers found that ASO’s disassembly abilities are highly tied to its specific sequence, suggesting it can be tailored to target specific repeat RNAs.

“This has significant implications for potential therapeutic applications,” Banerjee said. “We’re excited about the possibilities of using ASOs to develop new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.”

Banerjee is also exploring RNA’s role in the origin of life, studying whether biomolecular condensates may have protected RNA’s functions as biomolecular catalysts in the harsh prebiotic world.

“It really just shows how RNAs may have evolved to take these different forms of matter, some of which are extremely useful for biological functions and perhaps even life itself – and others that can bring about disease,” Banerjee said.

Source:University at Buffalo

Original Link:https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250807233043.htm

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Allergy

Flossing for Vaccines: A New Method to Deliver Immunizations

Scientists have discovered that flossing between your teeth could one day help vaccinate you. By targeting a uniquely permeable gum tissue called the junctional epithelium, this new method stimulates immunity right where many infections enter: the mouth, nose, and lungs. Using dental floss on mice to apply a flu vaccine triggered a robust immune response—better than existing oral approaches and comparable to nasal vaccines, but without the risks. It even worked with mRNA and protein-based vaccines.

Published

6 days ago

August 4, 2025

Veronic D.

The article “Flossing for Vaccines: A New Method to Deliver Immunizations” discusses a novel technique developed by researchers to deliver vaccines via dental floss. The method targets the junctional epithelium, a thin layer of tissue between the tooth and gum, which lacks barrier features and is more permeable than other epithelial tissues. This allows for enhanced antibody production across the body’s mucosal layers.

The researchers applied vaccine-coated floss to lab mice and compared antibody production in three different methods: via the junctional epithelium, nasal epithelium, or under the tongue. They found that applying vaccine via the junctional epithelium produced a superior antibody response on mucosal surfaces than the current gold standard for vaccinating via the oral cavity.

This technique has significant advantages beyond improved antibody response on mucosal surfaces. It is easy to administer and addresses concerns many people have about being vaccinated with needles. The researchers also believe this method should be comparable in price to other vaccine delivery techniques.

However, there are some drawbacks to consider. This technique would not work on infants and toddlers who do not yet have teeth. Additionally, the approach may not be suitable for people with gum disease or other oral infections, and more research is needed to fully understand its potential benefits and limitations.

The study was published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering and was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and funds from the Whitacre Endowed Chair in Science and Engineering at Texas Tech University. The researchers are optimistic about this work and may move toward clinical trials depending on their findings.

Alternative Medicine

A Sweet Breakthrough: How a Sugar Molecule Could Help Treat Type 1 Diabetes

In a fascinating twist, Mayo Clinic researchers discovered that a sugar molecule cancer cells use to hide from the immune system might also protect insulin-producing beta cells in type 1 diabetes. By engineering these cells with the same sugar molecule—sialic acid—they prevented immune attacks in lab models. This approach could lead to better transplant options without broad immune suppression, offering hope for millions living with the autoimmune disease.

Published

7 days ago

August 3, 2025

Veronic D.

In a groundbreaking study, researchers at Mayo Clinic have discovered that a sugar molecule used by cancer cells to evade the immune system could also help treat type 1 diabetes. The team, led by immunology researcher Virginia Shapiro, Ph.D., found that dressing up beta cells with the same sugar molecule, known as sialic acid, enabled the immune system to tolerate them.

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks pancreatic beta cells that produce insulin. This leads to an estimated 1.3 million people in the U.S. suffering from the disease. In their studies, Shapiro’s team used a cancer mechanism and turned it on its head by applying it to type 1 diabetes.

The researchers took a closer look at a preclinical model of type 1 diabetes and found that beta cells engineered to produce an enzyme called ST8Sia6, which increases sialic acid on the surface of tumor cells, were not attacked by the immune system. In fact, they were 90% effective in preventing the development of type 1 diabetes.

The team’s findings show that it is possible to engineer beta cells that do not prompt an immune response. This breakthrough has the potential to improve therapy for patients with type 1 diabetes, who currently rely on synthetic insulin or transplantation of pancreatic islet cells with immunosuppression.

Dr. Shapiro aims to explore using the engineered beta cells in transplantable islet cells without the need for immunosuppression. While still in the early stages, this study may be one step toward improving care for patients with type 1 diabetes.

Bird Flu

Unlocking the Secrets of the 1918 Spanish Flu Virus

Scientists in Switzerland have cracked open a century-old viral mystery by decoding the genome of the 1918 influenza virus from a preserved Zurich patient. This ancient RNA revealed that the virus had already adapted to humans at the very start of the pandemic, carrying mutations that made it both more infectious and more immune-resistant. By pioneering a new method to recover fragile RNA from preserved tissue, researchers gained rare insights into how flu viruses evolve. The study not only revives the history of one of humanity’s deadliest outbreaks but also arms us with critical knowledge to face future pandemics with smarter, science-based strategies.

Published

2 weeks ago

July 25, 2025

Veronic D.

The 1918 Spanish flu pandemic was one of the deadliest in human history, claiming an estimated 20-100 million lives worldwide. Despite its devastating impact, the genetic makeup of the virus responsible for this pandemic had remained a mystery – until now.

Researchers from the University of Basel and Zurich have successfully reconstructed the genome of the influenza virus that ravaged Europe during the first wave of the pandemic in Switzerland. The study, led by paleogeneticist Verena Schünemann, used a 100-year-old specimen taken from an autopsy sample of an 18-year-old patient who died in July 1918.

The researchers identified three key adaptations that allowed the virus to spread and persist throughout the pandemic. These mutations made the virus more resistant to human immune system defenses, allowing it to bind more efficiently to human cells and increasing its infectiousness.

This breakthrough study has significant implications for tackling future pandemics. By understanding how viruses adapt and evolve over time, scientists can develop targeted countermeasures and improve public health responses. The researchers emphasize the importance of medical collections as archives for reconstructing ancient RNA virus genomes and highlight the need for further reconstructions to inform models for future pandemics.

The study’s authors stress that their interdisciplinary approach, combining historico-epidemiological and genetic transmission patterns, provides an evidence-based foundation for calculations and will be crucial in developing targeted strategies for addressing future pandemics.