Many important drugs for treating microbial infections are derived from natural products produced by microorganisms. In an era of increasing antimicrobial resistance, there is an urgent need for discovery of new antibiotics for use in medicine and agriculture. Several antifungal drugs derived from natural products, or that mimic natural products, have been approved. Pathogenic fungi […]
Direct reprogramming has revolutionized the fields of stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. However, the common mechanisms governing how reprogramming cells undergo transcriptome and epigenome remodeling (i.e., regulatome remodeling) have not been investigated. In a study published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill discovered a […]
Iron is required for cellular biochemistry, supporting processes such as oxidative metabolism, DNA synthesis, and epigenetic remodeling. As an integral component of heme, iron must be supplied in adequate amounts to secure hemoglobin synthesis and prevent anemia. Anemia due to iron deficiency is highly prevalent. It is often due to insufficient dietary iron intake or […]
Low back pain is a leading cause of disabilities throughout the world and engenders a tremendous socioeconomic burden. It has been estimated that intervertebral disk (IVD) degeneration accounts for 22–42% of patients with low back pain. IVD degeneration frequently leads to more debilitating conditions, such as lumbar disk herniation, lumbar spinal stenosis, and spinal deformity, […]
Aging is a time-dependent functional decline in molecular, cellular, and organismal homeostasis that is affected by multiple environmental and genetic factors. Genetic studies, such as loss or gain of function or forward genetic screens, have identified many of its conserved genes and mechanisms. From the metabolic perspective, nutrient-sensing pathways such as the growth hormone and […]
B-type procyanidins, a series of catechin oligomers, are among the most ingested polyphenols in the human diet. This is found abundantly in foods like cocoa, apples, grape seeds, and red wine. Results of meta-analyses have suggested that intake of foods rich in B-type procyanidins is linked to reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart […]
Tendons are connective tissue that tether our muscles to our bones. They improve our stability and facilitate the transfer of force that allows us to move. But they are also particularly susceptible to injury and damage. Unfortunately, once tendons are injured, they rarely fully recover, which can result in limited mobility and require long-term pain […]
Obesity is a serious epidemic affecting an estimated 650 million adults worldwide, including 42% of the adult US population). Obesity is a major contributor to the global burden of chronic disease and disability, as it elevates the risk for a wide range of health issues including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and COVID-19 mortality. For […]
Stem cells overflow with potential. Their ability to become other cell types is crucial to our bodies, both during development and throughout life. But this potential can be our very downfall if it goes wrong, turning some of our most useful cells into malignant cancers. While investigating a pathway involved in stem cell differentiation, researchers […]
Intravenous treatment with omega-3 fatty acids in elderly hospitalized patients in intensive care due to COVID-19 seems to have positive effects on the ability of the immune system to cope with the virus, according to a study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. In the future, the study, published in the journal Clinical and Translational Medicine, […]