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A common sugar may help cancer cells break free and spread

2 weeks ago
Chemotherapy-surviving ovarian cancer cells may release fructose to help neighboring tumor cells loosen, escape, and spread. The discovery suggests that sugary diets and cholesterol-lowering drugs could influence cancer progression, though the effects have not yet been confirmed in patients.

Your brain may be wired to regain lost weight

2 weeks ago
Weight loss is not simply a test of willpower. The human brain evolved to protect body fat during times of scarcity, and it can treat a previously higher weight as the new normal, triggering stronger hunger, cravings, and lower energy use after weight loss. This biological “memory” helps explain why many people regain weight after dieting and why medications such as Wegovy and Mounjaro can help by reducing appetite signals, although their effects may fade when treatment ends.

Scientists may have found aging’s hidden trigger for brain disease

2 weeks 1 day ago
Scientists have identified a molecular switch that may help explain why aging makes the brain more vulnerable to diseases such as ALS and Huntington’s. In worms, the protein EPS8 builds up with age and triggers signaling that encourages toxic proteins to clump together, damaging neurons and shortening lifespan. Reducing EPS8 activity prevented these harmful aggregates and preserved nerve function.

Two new compounds could reveal hidden drivers of Alzheimer’s disease

2 weeks 1 day ago
Vanderbilt researchers created the first selective compound designed to inhibit TAOK-1, a poorly understood protein connected to Alzheimer’s disease. They also discovered a second compound that activates the entire TAOK protein family, offering scientists an unexpected new research tool. Together, the compounds could reveal hidden disease mechanisms and point toward new treatment strategies.

Lysosomal dysfunction drives a transcriptional and epigenetic signature found in disease-associated microglia in neurodegenerative diseases

2 weeks 1 day ago
Lysosomal dysfunction is causally linked to neurodegeneration in many lysosomal storage disorders and is associated with various age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we investigated the question of underlying mechanisms using a mouse model of mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA caused by deficiency of the lysosomal hydrolase SGSH. Systematic imaging and transcriptomic and epigenetic studies revealed microglia to be the most profoundly impacted cell type in brains of Sgsh-deficient mice....
Christopher D Balak

The role of cognitive-motor interaction in landmark reliance and navigational deficits in older adults

2 weeks 1 day ago
Declining spatial navigation abilities are a critical hallmark of aging, where the loss of spatial abilities precedes global cognitive impairment. While navigational decline is traditionally attributed to deficits in higher-order cognitive functions, emerging cognitive-motor frameworks suggest that age-related sensorimotor alterations play a significant, yet previously overlooked, role. Here, we investigate the coupling between locomotor integrity and navigation by combining an immersive...
Clément Naveilhan

The BAX/BAK apoptotic checkpoint polices entry to therapy-induced senescence

2 weeks 1 day ago
Cytotoxic chemotherapy is intended to eliminate transformed cells but can also provoke therapy-induced senescence, a persistent and pro-inflammatory cell state that can promote tumor progression. The molecular mechanisms that govern the apoptosis-senescence fate decision remain incompletely understood. Here, we show that the mitochondrial pore-forming proteins BAX and BAK function as a critical checkpoint that restricts entry to therapy-induced senescence. Genetic ablation of BAX and BAK...
Aislinn Gallagher Aldave

Aging at the neurovascular interface: An integrative framework linking cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases

2 weeks 1 day ago
Aging is a fundamental driver of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular comorbidities, yet the mechanisms linking aging to concurrent heart and brain diseases remain incompletely understood. The neurovascular interface (NVI) refers to the structural and functional interface through which neural, vascular, and extracellular-matrix signals interact. In the CNS, this concept substantially overlaps with the classical neurovascular unit, whereas in the heart it refers to an emerging heart tissue-specific...
Kexin Chen

Embracing non-linearity in human ageing

2 weeks 1 day ago
The ageing process is often portrayed as a steady linear decline, as reflected by the methodological frameworks used to study it. Although linear models successfully capture relevant age-related mechanisms, they may fail to identify key transition states occurring during the lifespan. Indeed, ageing entails a series of transitions - from early development, through adolescence, to older age - that are each characterized by distinct biological remodelling events. The study of these underlying...
Robin Grolaux