Scientists have found that certain mutations often go hand in hand in blood cancers. These mutations can make the disease worse and harder to treat. One such pair is mutations in the genes TET2 and TP53. These mutations can work together to make blood cancers more aggressive. They can also create an environment that helps the cancer grow and evades the body's def...
Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a common problem in older adults. It happens when the tiny blood vessels in the brain get damaged. This can lead to problems like thinking difficulties, a higher chance of stroke, and even dementia. So, what can be done about it? First, let's talk about the usual ways doctors try to help. There are medicines that can help mana...
In the shadowy corners of tumors, a microscopic world is at play. Scientists have become curious about the bacteria and other microbes that live within tumors. These microbes are hard to see without powerful tools, but they're there and doing something in the body. Tiny bacteria inside tumors can change how cancer starts, gets worse, and spreads. They can also chang...
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a serious condition where the blood pressure in the lungs is too high. This puts a lot of strain on the heart and can lead to heart failure and even death. A protein called FTO, which is linked to obesity and metabolism, may play a part in PAH, but its role is not well understood. Scientists explored what happens when this FT...
Ovarian cancer keeps claiming lives silently due to its late detection and high recurrence rates. One key reason is the role of chronic inflammation, which drives cancer progression. Specific cytokines like IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-8, along with pathways like NF-kB and STAT3, get overactive in ovarian cancer, helping tumors grow and spread. The area around the tumor, kno...
Researchers have discovered that collagen, a protein found in tumors, plays a major role in helping cancer cells grow new blood vessels. This finding is important because it could change how we treat certain types of cancer. In the past, scientists grouped solid tumors based on how much collagen and immune cells they had. They found a tough type, called "armored & c...
Our bodies are powered by complex chemical reactions called metabolism, which involves a vast orchestra of proteins, enzymes, and other molecules. Sometimes, defects in how these molecules work lead to inborn errors of metabolism (IEM), affecting how we produce and break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are tiny RNA molecules, about 19 to 2...
Imagine tiny organisms that live on and inside your body. These are called microbes. During COVID-19, researchers found that these microbes can either help or harm you. The disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus can disrupt the balance of these microbes, making the disease worse. Changes in these microbe communities, called dysbiosis, can happen in different parts o...
Ever wondered how cancer cells stick around and grow? It's all about adhesion—how cells cling to each other and their surroundings. Certain proteins help cells stick together, keeping tissues healthy and balanced. But in cancers like chronic lymphocytic leukemia and mantle cell lymphoma, these proteins go rogue. They let cancer cells chat with their environment, help...
Sepsis is one of the top reasons people die in intensive care units. To get better at predicting who might die and how to treat them, it's crucial to understand how the proteins in their blood change over time. Researchers are studying these proteins, called the plasma proteome, to find patterns that could help save lives. It's like trying to read a protein puzzle to...