For individuals who develop an unexpected psychosis, there is something to be said for testing them for autoimmune antibodies. And something against. At the 36th Congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) this week, the topic was worth a controversy session, where speakers presented the pros and cons of the approach. Currently used tests have a specificity of 99%. But as Ester Coutinho, consultant neurologist at the University of Coimbra, pointed out, the validity of diagnostic tests depends on the prevalence of the disorder one is looking for as well. Coutinho estimated that autoimmune psychoses account for 1% of psychoses overall.
Recently, researchers at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, in collaboration with colleagues in Japan, have developed a human vascular organoid model that accurately mimics the vascular damage caused by SARS-CoV-2.
The broadest view of post-mortem brains in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has unveiled the genome, transcriptome and epigenome alterations of this neurodegenerative condition. The coordinated research, directed by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), also described new cellular pathways that could help the scientific community design new therapies. Four simultaneous studies published on Sept. 28, 2023, in Cell, presented a brain single-cell atlas of AD, exposed the damage that affects DNA, and described the processes that alter the microglia and dysregulate the epigenome.
The broadest view of post-mortem brains in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has unveiled the genome, transcriptome and epigenome alterations of this neurodegenerative condition. The coordinated research, directed by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), also described new cellular pathways that could help the scientific community design new therapies. Four simultaneous studies published on Sept. 28, 2023, in Cell, presented a brain single-cell atlas of AD, exposed the damage that affects DNA, and described the processes that alter the microglia and dysregulate the epigenome.
Shanghai Zhigen Pharmaceutical Technology Co Ltd. has divulged nonreceptor tyrosine-protein kinase TYK2 inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of inflammation and autoimmune diseases.
Atomwise Inc. has nominated a development candidate focused on TYK2 inhibition, discovered by leveraging its proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) drug discovery platform, Atomnet.
Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibition is a provenly effective strategy for the treatment of B-cell malignancies with several compounds approved such as ibrutinib, acalabrutinib or zanubrutinib. BTK also plays a central role in immunity and has thus emerged as a potential therapeutic target in autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.
Twist Bioscience Corp. and Imidomics Inc. have established a multi-program collaboration whereby Twist will utilize its antigen development capabilities and Library of Libraries to conduct antibody discovery activities against targets identified by Imidomics.
Researchers from Umm Al-Qura University and affiliated organizations have published details on the discovery and preclinical evaluation of anticancer candidates acting both as COX-2 inhibitors and tubulin-targeting agents.
Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disorder characterized by the formation of granulomatous inflammatory nodules mainly located in the lungs, lymphatic system, skin and eyes. In patients with pulmonary involvement, targeting IFN-γ has proven ineffective. Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and collaborators reported on the use of nonreceptor tyrosine phosphatase Src homolog-2 domain-containing phosphatase 2 (SHP2) inhibition as a potential strategy to treat sarcoidosis-like diseases.
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