EarthSpin

The Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines were developed to prevent disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These vaccines rely on mRNA, a snippet of genetic code that only contain instructions for how to make a spike protein—the antennae-like protrusions that extend from the surface of the virus’s cell membrane. The spike protein plays an integral role in how the virus gains entry into the host cell. By recognizing the initial attack, a vaccinated person can mount a defense to the virus, triggering an immune response that produces a cascade of antibodies. As a result, a vaccinated person experiences a less severe form of disease and shorter duration of the illness

There is one problem. How do you get the snippet of genetic code, which is unstable on its own, into the host cell to impart protection?

The answer is a sleek lipid capsule, called a lipid nanoparticle. Like a movie star rolling up to a night spot unseen in a blacked-out Bentley, the lipid nanoparticle merges with the host cell’s phospholipid membrane to deliver the mRNA payload, conferring protection against SARS-CoV-2 or its variants. This concept is not new, but the technique has been refined and offers a path forward for the future of therapeutics.

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NeuroOmics technology lets researchers label and capture cell-surface proteins in intact, live tissue — opening opportunities to understand complex cellular interactions and future drug targets.

Purkinje cells are large neurons that form in the cerebellum, the small compact portion of the brain behind the cerebrum. Intricate, dendritic trees extend from each cell, forming a convoluted branching pattern that resembles a sea fan. Dysfunction of Purkinje cells has been linked to neurological symptoms, such as tremors, irregular muscle movement and hyperreactivity. 

Purkinje cells’ elaborate dendrites play an integral role in neuronal communication, by receiving and integrating synaptic impulses that are coordinated by proteins scattered across the surface of the cell. Despite this integral role in neural computation, an understanding of the development of these elaborate dendrites remains elusive. A study published online in the October issue of Neuron applies a new technology to profile the proteins present on the surface of Purkinje cells to gain a better understanding of their role in dendrite development and neuronal communication.

Cell-surface proteins stick out of the cell membrane, like antennae on a building. By protruding into the surrounding environment, the proteins play a critical role in intercellular communication, like the highly orchestrated interactions between the different cell types in the nervous systems of mammals. Most techniques for studying these proteins are unable to quantify and profile the proteins in the diverse cell-type mosaic of the mammalian brain.

“Cell surface proteins are like little machines on the outside surface of cells that mediate communication between different types of cells,” said study lead author Andrew Shuster, a postdoc at Harvard University and former member of the Luo lab. “We were interested in developing a method to profile the entire coat of cell surface proteins in healthy tissue that has not been approachable by other methods.”

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A new treatment for mycosis fungoides combines an extract from a common weed with light to great effect

Mycosis fungoides is the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. This rare form of cancer occurs when the germ-fighting cells of the immune system (T-cells) begin to attack a person’s skin. 

While the cause of mycosis fungoides remains unknown, it manifests as round, scaly patches of skin. The patches may be itchy, break open, and cause localized hair loss. 

Treatment for mycosis fungoides is often dictated by the severity, or stage, of the disease. Treatments may range from medicated skin creams and ointments to radiation. The most common treatment is light therapy using a ultraviolet (UV) light. While effective, this type of treatment can lead to future cancers when used for a long time to treat a condition that persists.

A Phase 3 clinical trial evaluated the effectiveness and safety of a new treatment that uses an ointment activated by natural light. The results are available in the July issue of the journal JAMA Dermatology.

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UC Riverside study examines molecular pathways that may instigate seizures in some multiple sclerosis patients

A research team at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine has identified a pathway involving astrocytes, a class of central nervous system support cells, that could shed light on why seizures happen in a subset of multiple sclerosis, or MS, patients. 

Study results, available in ASN Neuro, improve scientific understanding of how seizures arise in MS and could provide the foundation for better therapies to manage treatment-resistant seizures in MS and other brain diseases.

Characterized by progressive episodic decline in neurological function, MS affects more than 900,000 people in the United States. This autoimmune disease damages the fatty sheath — myelin — that protects nerve fibers, which hinders the speed of signals in the central nervous system. While not classically considered a defining symptom of the disease, seizures occur three-times more often in MS patients than healthy individuals and may portend a flare-up of symptoms. MS patients that experience seizures also have a decreased quality of life and higher mortality rate. The mechanisms that cause seizures in MS patients remains poorly understood.

“During a seizure, there is a dysfunction between inhibition and excitation and a bunch of neurons fire together without control,” said Seema Tiwari-Woodruff, a professor of biomedical sciences and senior author on the paper. 

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