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USC scientists have discovered a way to create a potentially renewable supply of genetically engineered immune cells that can attack cancer and strengthen the body's natural defenses. By growing and modifying immature immune cells rather than mature ones, researchers developed a system that can continuously produce tumor-fighting cells inside the body.

Yale scientists have uncovered how the stress hormone cortisol helps the brain turn emotional experiences into stronger, longer-lasting memories. The discovery reveals that stress can reshape communication between brain networks involved in emotion and memory, potentially explaining why certain moments are so difficult to forget.

Ageing profoundly impairs vaccine efficacy, leaving older individuals highly susceptible to infectious diseases despite vaccination. Although B cells retain the intrinsic capacity to generate germinal centre (GC) responses in older people, age-associated defects in T cells, dendritic cells and follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) limit the development of high-affinity, class-switched antibody responses. Here, we hypothesised that senescent fibroblasts disrupt B cell activation and expansion, thus...

CONCLUSIONS: In this post-hoc analysis, group allocation was not associated with lower body weight at follow-up. Despite high levels of motivation and confidence regarding weight loss and favorable changes in diet and physical activity in the intervention group, these changes did not translate into measurable weight loss.

Chronic metabolic stress is increasingly recognized as a driver of aging-like tissue dysfunction, but whether it durably reprograms liver regenerative cells, potentially compromising tissue maintenance and repair, remains unknown. Here, we show that high-fat diet (HFD)-induced metabolic stress promotes a persistent senescence-like state in the liver regenerative compartment. In male rats, chronic HFD feeding induced hepatic steatosis together with oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and...

Vascular endothelial cell (VEC) senescence drives organismal aging and age-related pathologies, yet the intrinsic factors preserving endothelial youthfulness remain poorly defined. Here, we identify MTR4, an evolutionarily conserved RNA helicase and nuclear RNA exosome cofactor, as a novel regulator of VEC senescence. MTR4 protein declines markedly in senescent HUVECs and aged mouse aortas, independent of general cell cycle exit. Mechanistically, senescence-induced upregulation of the E3...

Scientists have discovered how to turn a protein that normally fuels cancer growth into a weapon against it. By activating PPARD in immune cells, researchers made them better at burning fat and attacking tumors, slowing or stopping cancer growth in laboratory experiments. The approach showed promise against colorectal, breast, and ovarian cancers, as well as melanoma.

Scientists have uncovered a hidden biological mechanism that helps explain how exercise can reverse some of the damage caused by muscle aging. The key is a gene called DEAF1, which becomes overactive with age and interferes with the muscles’ ability to clear damaged proteins and repair themselves. Exercise can help restore this balance, allowing older muscles to rebuild and regain strength, although the benefits may diminish when the system becomes too disrupted.

Even under general anesthesia, the human brain can analyze language, recognize different types of words, and predict what comes next in a story, according to a surprising discovery by Baylor researchers. The findings challenge our understanding of consciousness and suggest that the unconscious brain is far more capable than scientists previously realized.

Eating late at night could be putting your liver at risk, according to a large study led by Oregon Health & Science University. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 200,000 people and found that those who regularly ate after dinner or around bedtime had a 20% to 30% higher risk of liver disease, including fatty liver disease and cirrhosis.

Scientists have discovered that unusually small cancer cells carrying extra chromosomes can be far more aggressive than larger ones, growing faster, spreading more readily, and resisting common treatments. The surprising finding could help explain why some tumors are especially dangerous and provide a new way to predict cancer outcomes.

A rare examination of an Alzheimer’s patient’s brain revealed that regions cleared of amyloid plaques had remarkably little of the harmful tau buildup associated with memory loss, while neighboring areas showed extensive damage. The discovery suggests that removing amyloid may have lasting protective effects and could help slow Alzheimer’s progression, especially when treatment begins early.

Here, we conduct a large meta-analysis of DNA methylation across multiple cortical brain regions, in relation to increasing burden of Lewy body pathology. Utilizing a dataset of 1205 samples (832 unique donors), we identify 24 false discovery rate significant differentially methylated loci associated with Lewy body pathology, with loci located in UBASH3B and PTAFR, and an intergenic locus passing the genome-wide significance threshold. Ontological enrichment analysis highlights several...

Cognitive reserve theory posits that compensatory mechanisms during aging stave off cognitive decline and lower risk for Alzheimer's disease. Here, in a screen for hippocampal dentate granule cell (DGC) synapse loss-induced factors in mice, we identified a secreted phospholipase, Pla2g2f, whose expression increases in DGCs during aging and is associated with cognitive resilience in humans. Pla2g2f deletion in DGCs exacerbates aging-associated pathophysiological changes, including synapse loss,...

Population-based studies on the relation between polygenic longevity scores (PGLSs) and specific brain regions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are few. We aimed to investigate this relationship in a population of 70-year-olds from Gothenburg, Sweden (N = 675). We constructed two PGLSs (one with and one without the APOE locus) using longevity GWAS summary statistics. MRI outcomes included total grey matter, white matter (WM), WM hyperintensities (WMHs), subcortical volumes, small vessel...

Cognitive reserve theory posits that compensatory mechanisms during aging stave off cognitive decline and lower risk for Alzheimer's disease. Here, in a screen for hippocampal dentate granule cell (DGC) synapse loss-induced factors in mice, we identified a secreted phospholipase, Pla2g2f, whose expression increases in DGCs during aging and is associated with cognitive resilience in humans. Pla2g2f deletion in DGCs exacerbates aging-associated pathophysiological changes, including synapse loss,...