Study decodes why promising cancer treatments trigger serious side effects

New Delhi, (IANS): While cancer has seen some significant advancements in treatments that have shown promise and increased lifespan, however, it also causes serious side effects, which can affect quality of life.A new study by researchers from Australia is shedding new light on the reasons behind these side effects, Xinhua news agency reported.The team from Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) in Melbourne discovered that the protein MCL-1 -- a key target in cancer drug development -- plays not only a role in preventing cell death in cancer cells but also supplying energy to normal cells.As a result, drugs that inhibit MCL-1 can inadvertently damage healthy tissues that rely on this protein for energy, especially in organs with high energy demand like the heart and liver, leading to the severe side effects observed in clinical trials, said the team.The new findings clarify that these side effects may be linked to the protein's critical role in cellular energy production, which enables the development of safer, more targeted cancer therapies that reduce harm to healthy tissues while staying effective against cancer.First author Dr Kerstin Brinkmann said that while previous research in cell cultures had hinted at the metabolic role of MCL-1 in providing energy to cells, it was unclear whether this mattered in...
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No link between vaccination and sudden cardiac death in youth: Dr Randeep Guleria

New Delhi, (IANS) Former AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Friday said that recent studies by ICMR and AIIMS have clearly shown there is no link between COVID-19 vaccination and sudden cardiac deaths among young people.In an exclusive conversation with IANS, he addressed concerns that have been circulating in various sections of society regarding heart-related deaths after vaccination.Here are excerpts of the interview:IANS: The joint study of ICMR and AIIMS has concluded that there’s no link between COVID-19 vaccines and sudden cardiac arrests in youth. How do you see this outcome?Dr Randeep Guleria: Yes, there has been a lot of concern recently about young people dying from sudden heart problems. Many were wondering if it could be due to the COVID vaccine. But now, studies by ICMR and AIIMS have clearly shown there is no such connection.From my personal experience as well, we have seen young people suffering from heart issues even before COVID. These were usually linked to genetic factors and major lifestyle changes.Our eating habits have become unhealthy. The traditional diet of green leafy vegetables and fruits has been replaced by fast food. Physical activity has decreased, especially as more young people now do desk jobs.This has led to weight gain and obesity. Due to such lifestyle and genetic reasons, heart attacks in...
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Scientists Reverse Parkinson’s Symptoms in Mice: ‘We were astonished by the success’

By Anna ShvetsGroundbreaking research by the University of Sydney has identified a new brain protein involved in the development of Parkinson’s disease and a way to modify it, paving the way for future treatments for the disease.With the aim of finding new treatments to slow or stop its progression, the research team has spent more than a decade studying the biological mechanisms underpinning the condition—which is the second most common neurological condition after dementia.In 2017, they identified for the first time the presence of an abnormal form of a protein—called SOD1—in the brains of patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.Normally, the SOD1 protein provides protective benefits to the brain, but in Parkinson’s patients it becomes faulty, causing the protein to clump and damage brain cells.The newest study by the same team, led by Professor Kay Double from the Brain and Mind Centre, was just published in Acta Neuropathologica Communications. It found that targeting the faulty SOD1 protein with a drug treatment using copper improved the motor function in mice.“We hoped that by treating this malfunctioning protein, we might be able to improve the Parkinson-like symptoms in the mice we were treating – but even we were astonished by the success of the intervention,” said Professor Double in a media release.“All the mice we...
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This Wearable Device Monitors Health by Sensing the Gases Passing Through Your Skin

Credit: John A. Rogers / Northwestern University.Your skin is breathing. This wearable gas sensor can measure it.Northwestern University researchers have developed the first wearable device for measuring gases emitted from and absorbed by the skin.By analyzing these gases, the device offers an entirely new way to assess skin health, including monitoring wounds, detecting skin infections, tracking hydration levels, quantifying exposure to harmful environmental chemicals and more.The new technology comprises a collection of sensors that precisely measure changes in temperature, water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which each give valuable insight into various skin conditions and overall health. These gases flow into a small chamber within the device that hovers above the skin without actually touching it. This no-contact design is particularly useful for gathering information about fragile skin without disturbing delicate tissues.“This device is a natural evolution of our lab’s wearable electronic devices that collect and analyze sweat,” said Northwestern’s John A. Rogers, who co-led the study. “In that case, we were analyzing sweat to learn about the wearer’s overall health. While useful, that method requires pharmacological stimulation of sweat glands or exposure to a hot, humid environment. We...
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Australian scientists discover proteins that could help fight cancer, slow ageing

New Delhi, (IANS): A team of Australian scientists has identified a group of proteins that could transform approaches to treating cancer and age-related diseases.Researchers at the Children's Medical Research Institute (CMRI) in Sydney discovered that these proteins play a crucial role in controlling telomerase -- an enzyme responsible for protecting DNA during cell division, Xinhua news agency reported.The breakthrough clarifies how telomerase both supports healthy ageing and fuels cancer cell growth, highlighting new possibilities for treatments that slow ageing or stop cancer by targeting these newly identified proteins, the team said.Telomerase helps maintain the ends of chromosomes, known as telomeres, which are vital for genetic stability.Telomerase adds DNA to the ends of chromosomes (telomeres) to protect them from damage.While telomerase is essential for the health of stem cells and certain immune cells, cancer cells often exploit this enzyme to grow uncontrollably.CMRI Researchers have now identified a new set of proteins that play a vital role in controlling this enzyme.In the paper published in the journal Nature Communications, the team highlighted that three proteins -- NONO, SFPQ, and PSPC1 -- guide telomerase to chromosome ends; disrupting them in cancer cells prevents telomere maintenance, potentially stopping cancer...
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