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Scientists finally solved how a common gut bacterium triggers colon cancer

2 months 3 weeks ago
Researchers solved a long-standing mystery behind how a bacterial toxin associated with colorectal cancer damages the colon. The toxin first binds to a receptor called claudin-4, giving it access to attack the cells' protective barrier. After identifying this weak point, the team designed a decoy protein that successfully blocked the toxin in mice. The discovery could pave the way for new therapies to prevent inflammation and colon tumors.

Common constipation drug may help clear depression brain fog

2 months 3 weeks ago
An existing constipation drug may have an unexpected new use: helping clear the "brain fog" that often lingers after depression. In a small clinical trial, people with a history of depression who took the medication prucalopride for about a week performed better on tests of memory, attention, and thinking speed than those who received a placebo. The drug targets a serotonin receptor found in both the gut and the brain, and researchers saw no significant side effects.

The hidden skeleton “gatekeeper” inside brain cells could help fight Alzheimer's

2 months 3 weeks ago
Researchers have discovered that a microscopic skeleton inside neurons does much more than hold cells together. It acts as a gatekeeper that controls what brain cells absorb and when they absorb it. When this protective structure weakens, neurons rapidly take in harmful proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease, suggesting that stabilizing it could become a promising new strategy for preventing brain cell damage.

Development of an RNA aptamer as a therapeutic agent for synucleinopathies

2 months 3 weeks ago
The aggregation of α-synuclein (αSyn), a 140-mer protein, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease, multiple system atrophy, and dementia with Lewy bodies. KTKEGV pseudo-repeats (KRs) in the sequence of αSyn are key mediators of its prion-like propagation and neurodegeneration. Despite the availability of symptomatic treatments, no current therapy effectively delays disease progression. Here we report a 77-nucleotide RNA aptamer called 1R6, obtained through in vitro...
Kazuma Murakami