Neurodevelopmental disorders related to protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) have been recently renamed as Houge-Janssens syndrome and they are caused by heterozygous, de novo pathogenic genetic variants in the PPP2R5D, PPP2R1A or PPP2CA genes. The syndrome is characterized by features such as intellectual disability, autism, developmental delay, seizures or brain abnormalities, among others.
For the first time, researchers have identified that inflammation – long associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) – appears to cause increased mutations that damage neurons linked to MS progression. Researchers at the Florey Institute and the University of Melbourne studied MS brain lesions, which are areas of past or ongoing brain inflammation that are visible as spots on MRI scans.
Esophageal cancer, particularly esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), is one of the most prevalent digestive malignancies, with a 5-year survival rate of only 20%. Although some cancer immunotherapies based on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown promise for ESCC, only a minority of patients actually benefit from ICI therapy.
Researchers from Medizinische Hochschule Hannover and affiliated organizations reported data from studies aimed to identify non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) with therapeutic potential against liver fibrosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Functional screening of patient-derived primary human hepatic myofibroblasts, followed by in vivo validation in mouse models of fibrosis, were performed in search of antifibrotic miRNAs.
Urachal carcinoma is a rare cancer which lacks a standard drug therapy, and for which knowledge regarding its immunohistochemical features remains unclear. The aim of a recently reported investigation was finding potential markers and targets for urachal carcinoma based on antibody-drug conjugate targets, as well as its association with prognosis.
Prostate cancer is still one of the main causes of cancer death among men; while prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing is done for screening, there are recommendations against its use due to its nonspecific and suboptimal results. There is thus an urgent need for new biomarkers that are more accurate in the detection of prostate cancer.
Previous research has shown that cell division cycle associated 4 (CDCA4) is overexpressed in multiple tumors and is involved in tumor progression. Researchers from Yangtze University and affiliated organizations investigated the role of CDCA4 in bladder cancer.
Researchers from Guangzhou Medical University and affiliated organizations presented data from a study that aimed to investigate the disease-causing mechanism of EP400, a gene that encodes the E1A binding protein p400, which is a core catalytic ATPase subunit of ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes.
Mitoribosomes are present in the mitochondria of all eukaryotic cells. Their function is to allow the translation of mitochondrial mRNA that exclusively encodes components of the oxidative phosphorylation complexes (OXPHOS).
Researchers from Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center presented data from a study that aimed to investigate the genetic mechanisms underlying yellow nail syndrome (YNS), a rare disorder characterized by three features, namely yellow dystrophic nails, lymphedema and chronic lung disease.