Atherogenesis is depicted in a young (a) or aged (b) host. Aged monocytes/macrophages have decreased levels of the epigenetic regulator TET2, leading to reduction of the 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) mark on the Itgb3 promoter. The resulting low integrin β3 levels in aged monocytes/macrophages induces high TNFα levels, facilitating recruitment and expansion of multiple SMC progenitors...
Credit: CC0 Public DomainMore than 10% of older adults create somatic (non-inherited) mutations in blood stem cells that could trigger explosive, clonal expansions of abnormal cells, enhancing the risk for blood cancer and heart disease.Multiple DNA sequencing techniques have been utilized to determine what is called "clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential," or CHIP. Still,...
The worm that the researchers studied and for which they sequenced the genome. It is a segmented worm that is abundant on the coasts of the UK and Europe. It lives inside a tube that it secretes itself burrowed in the sand. Credit: Chema Martin.For greater than 100 years, biologists have wondered why animals...
Credit: Annelisa LeinbachAn increase in genetic regulatory aspects explains how modern humans evolved bigger brains than other hominins.The surface area of the human being's cerebral cortex is more than 3 times the dimension of that of the chimpanzee. Neuroscientists have found that particular gene variants are linked to increases in brain surface area. The...
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public DomainIn a recent research released today in Cell Reports, scientists from the Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute (DKJEI), part of the Krembil Research Institute at University Health Network, have determined anteriorly unknown links between genetic factors in autism spectrum disorder (ASD).This neurodevelopmental disorder is associated with a wide variety of physiological...
Two Thylacine in a cage. Credit: WikipediaScientists in Australia and the United States are starting a multi-million dollar project to bring the Tasmanian tiger back from extinction.The last known Tasmanian Tiger, technically named Thylacine, passed away in the 1930s.The group behind the effort claims it can accomplish this using stem cells and gene-editing technology....
Credit: CI Photos/ShutterstockJosiah Zayner is the first individual known to have modified his personal DNA and he revealed the planet just how easy it is to do, live-streaming the process on his blog, "Science, Art, Beauty". Zayner claims this was the second time he has genetically changed himself.Utilizing CRISPR, a fairly new gene-editing method,...
Destroying cancer cells without affecting bordering normal cells is the most desirable method for targeted cancer treatment. However, it can not be easily accomplished because of the resemblances in the properties in between normal and cancer cells.So scientists at the IBS developed an innovative strategy called CINDELA (Cancer-specific INDEL Attacker). Which invades cancer-specific...
The continuing development of new SARS-CoV-2 mutations allows the virus to spread more effectively and also avert antibodies. However, it is unclear whether brand-new strains can escape T-cell immunity - one of the body's main lines of protection against COVID-19.The development of a T-cell immune reaction is significantly governed by genetic factors, consisting of...
Lead author, Karl Barber with a PICASSO microarray. Credit: Karl Barber, Schmidt Science FellowsResearchers have repurposed the genetic modification innovation CRISPR to identify antibodies in a patient's blood samplings. This can influence a new class of medical diagnostics along with a host of various other applications.This technology entails customizable collections of proteins affixed to...
