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The longevity-linked APOE2 gene appears to protect brain cells by reducing DNA damage and helping neurons recover from stress. The finding could open a new path toward treatments that mimic APOE2’s defenses in people at higher genetic risk for Alzheimer’s.

A large study suggests that GLP-1 drugs including Ozempic and Mounjaro may slightly increase the risk of hair loss in people with type 2 diabetes. Compared with two other common classes of diabetes medications, GLP-1 users had a significantly higher rate of alopecia, though the absolute risk was still low. The hair loss was mainly non-scarring, which means it may be reversible.

A massive genetic study has identified nine new genes linked to hyperemesis gravidarum, the most severe form of pregnancy sickness, bringing the total number of known risk genes to ten. The discoveries provide fresh insight into why some women experience debilitating nausea and vomiting during pregnancy while others do not. Several of the newly identified genes are involved in appetite, nausea, metabolism, and brain function, opening the door to more targeted treatments.

One shot of lenacapavir can protect for 6 months—but aid cuts and uncertain demand mean little drug has reached the countries that most need it

The loosely regulated molecules could soon become easier to buy, despite unknowns about their risks

A global shift toward healthier diets could sharply reduce livestock farming, free up agricultural land, and cut emissions from land-use change by 85% by 2050. At the same time, fruit, vegetable, nut, and legume production could soar, creating a sweeping transformation of what the world grows and eats.

A 25-year study found that frequent consumption of soda, sports drinks, and fruit juice beginning in childhood was linked to a higher risk of high blood pressure in adulthood. Swapping one daily drink for whole fruit, milk, or water could significantly reduce that risk.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder lacking effective disease-modifying therapies. Astragalus membranaceus (AM) has shown potential neuroprotective effects, but its underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. In this study, a meta-analysis, network pharmacology, molecular simulation, and experimental validation were integrated to investigate the therapeutic potential of AM in AD. Meta-analysis of three randomized controlled trials showed that AM...

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Tendinopathy is a common condition that causes long-term pain. The inflammatory microenvironment (inflamed soil) promotes the ingrowth of sensory nerves (a key pain trigger) and induces functional impairments in tendon stem/progenitor cells (TSPCs) (dysfunctional seeds). These interconnected processes collectively drive the progression of tendinopathy, which is frequently accompanied by persistent pain. Here, we develop a multifunctional nanoplatform (MSM-DTM) by integrating macrophage-sensory...

Skeletal muscle aging is a complex biological process that involves coordinated changes in multiple cell types. Recent breakthroughs in single-cell sequencing technology have provided new perspectives regarding this process. Here, we systematically summarize current progress in single-cell technology with respect to skeletal muscle aging. We focused on specific molecular characteristics and interaction networks of muscle fiber, satellite and immune cells during aging. Aging skeletal muscles...

Tumor senescence is a durable cell-cycle arrest triggered by oncogenic signalling, DNA damage and therapeutic stress. Although senescence can restrain malignant expansion, heterogeneous senescence-associated secretory programs can also promote tumor progression, immune evasion and treatment resistance. Crucially, the composition, magnitude and persistence of these secretory programs vary across cell types, microenvironmental niches and treatment phases, making binary detection of "senescent...

The nucleus is a highly organized and dynamic organelle, with hierarchical layers ranging from nucleosome positioning to chromatin domains and higher-order 3D genome topology. Viewed over time as the 4D nucleome, this organization enables precise and context-dependent transcriptional control. In the heart, dynamic nuclear architecture orchestrates precise transcriptional programmes that control lineage commitment and the establishment of cardiac cell types crucial not only for heart development,...

First drug to lower the protein and slow cognitive decline created buzz despite puzzling data.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) disrupts brain function through cell type-specific transcriptomic and epigenomic alterations, yet the contribution of three-dimensional (3D) genome organization to AD remains poorly understood. We applied GAGE-seq (genome architecture and gene expression by sequencing) to jointly profile gene expression and 3D chromatin structure in single cells from postmortem brain tissue from AD patients and age-matched individuals without AD, revealing chromatin reorganization linked...

In senescent cells, functional alterations in organelles like mitochondria and lysosomes are well characterized, but senescence-associated changes in Golgi function are not. An RNA interference screen revealed that silencing subunits of the coatomer protein I (COPI) complex, critical for intracellular transport involving the Golgi, reduced extracellular vesicle uptake. In proliferating WI-38 fibroblasts, silencing COPI constituents COPA, COPB1, COPB2, or COPD induced ATF4 production and...

Changes in gene expression have been observed in the aging human brain, but our understanding of the underlying regulatory mechanisms remains limited. To unravel these complexities, we analyzed single-nucleus gene expression, chromatin accessibility, DNA methylation, and three-dimensional (3D) chromatin architecture from human hippocampal tissues spanning the adult lifespan. We identified both linear and nonlinear dynamic gene regulatory programs during aging. Between the ages of 50 to 75,...

Aging tissues gradually lose cellular diversity due to stem cell exhaustion. A new PLOS Biology study utilizes advanced lineage tracing to track intestinal stem cell lineages across the life span. The findings reveal clonal attrition happens in early ages.

CONCLUSION: Older adults with intact tactile sensation showed stronger hand dexterity-cognitive associations, highlighting sensorimotor integrity as relevant for early screening and functional evaluation. Stratified patterns suggest possible cognitive group differences that merit further study.

Cellular senescence is a context-dependent cellular state characterised by persistent cell-cycle arrest, epigenetic remodelling, metabolic reprogramming and acquisition of a senescence-associated secretory phenotype. Transient senescence contributes to embryogenesis, tissue repair and tumour suppression, whereas persistent senescent cell populations accumulate with advancing age across multiple tissues, in part owing to declining immune-mediated clearance and intrinsic resistance to apoptosis,...