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High-Fat Diet-Induced Metabolic Stress Durably Reprograms the Liver Regenerative Compartment Toward a Senescence-Like State
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...
MTR4: A Conserved Youth Factor for Vascular Endothelium
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...
Daily briefing: We’re close to reaching a 30% land-conservation target
History’s long-secret codes are being cracked by amateurs using AI
Memory stays strong in old age when this brain enzyme is active
IceCube just won a Nobel prize. Protect astroparticle physics projects with the same potential
PhD students who write dissertations with AI less likely to stay in academia
Unprecedented atlas explores mitochondria across the tree of life
The pianist who never played
Briefing Chat: An invisible tattoo that appears under UV light – and then disappears
Botox was born by domesticating a killer bacterium
Genome analysis shows how decades of lab cultivation turned C. botulinum, the canned food killer, into a potent tool for medicine and the beauty industry
A protein that fuels cancer could also be the key to fighting it
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.
USDA scientists get reprieve from lab closures, but for how long?
Judge says Congress must decide whether to extend a pause on reorganization and relocations
Scientists discover how exercise reverses muscle aging
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.
Mysterious brain activity under anesthesia challenges what we know about consciousness
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 linked to up to 30% higher risk of liver disease
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 discover a surprising danger in smaller cancer cells
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.
Rare study reveals a striking divide inside an Alzheimer’s patient’s brain
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.
Interrogating DNA methylation associated with Lewy body pathology in a cross brain-region and multi-cohort study
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...
An aging-sensitive secreted phospholipase confers neuroprotection and cognitive resilience
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,...