Aurora magazine

An international team identified the genetic component behind anorexia, identifying an anomaly in chromosome 12. The disease is both psychiatric and metabolic, linked to a problem in nutrition absorption. Discovery could deeply change the approach to the disease and its treatments. It also opens the DNA test gates designed to prevent at least part of the disorder.

The research involved 3,495 individuals with anorexia nervosa. These were accompanied by data of 10,982 healthy individuals. The researchers analyzed the DNA of subjects with modern genom sequencing techniques. They thus identified an anomaly in chromosome 12, common among anorexia people. The region has already been associated with the onset of type 1 diabetes and autoimmune diseases.

According to the findings, there may be a correlation between anorexia, other psychiatric disorders and metabolic diseases. The connection to depression and schizophrenia is not surprising, while the bond with metabolic diseases is unpublished. For example, subjects with anorexia have low insulin resistance. This changes the way they absorb food and burn it, thereby affecting the relationship they have with it.

The discovery tries again the link between psychology and physical development. Anorexia has a very strong psychological component, but not only. Consequently, treatments should take into account abnormal metabolism. For example, you may need to introduce more carbohydrates into these people's diet. During pregnancy it is advisable to undergo non-invasive prenatal tests such as fetal DNA test, which detect chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus.

Source: corriere.it

From the University of Surrey comes a new cell separator that could revolutionize cancer research and Alzheimer's. The outstanding part is that the machine had a humane genesis, made of foil and epoxy glue. One of the purposes of the new process, in fact, is to get cellular separation at a fraction of the current cost. This would make some therapies for fatal diseases more accessible and many stem cell research.

Cell separation is critical to medical research. It ranges from the separation of red blood cells from white blood cells to the separation of different types of stem cells. It is used to identify the cells to be used in regenerative therapies, but also for biochemical and material science related processes. At the moment, however, the process is complex and very expensive.

A team from the University of Surrey developed a cell separator that uses 3D electrodes and a low-cost chip. Thanks to a small electrical charge, the chip allows the passage of only one type of cell and blocks all others. The principle is similar to that used in printed circuits and makes separation 10,000 times faster.

The invention came after years of research and the first prototype consisted of foil paper and epoxy glue. Despite the fact that the present car is a bit more complex, it has maintained the originality of the original project. The new cell separator costs one-hundredth of the traditional ones and the used agents cost just as little. In addition, it does not use chemical markers, so it is possible to reuse the cells for therapeutic purposes.

Source: alphagalileo.org

The first results of the TRACERx study show the effectiveness of liquid biopsy in lung cancer monitoring. The researchers used a principle related to non-invasive prenatal diagnosis: DNA analysis of floating cells in the blood. In the case of prenatal screening fetal cells in maternal blood are analyzed. In the liquid biopsy, however, tumor cells are analyzed in the patient's blood.

As a tumor develops, it is released into the cellular fragments that end up in the bloodstream. By analyzing them, it is possible to monitor the evolution of the tumor and its origin, starting with a blood sampling. The operation is called liquid biopsy and avoids the well-invasive traditional biopsies. Normally, in fact, it is necessary to intervene surgically to extract a fragment of tissue to be analyzed.

TRACERx involved 100 patients with lung cancer and were undergoing treatment. The researchers followed the evolution of the tumor, both by traditional methods and by liquid biopsy. They have thus compared the genetic changes detected in tumor cells and those taken from the blood.
Sequencing of DNA from liquid biopsy has shown that it is possible to diagnose the tumor in the early stages. It has also allowed identifying identifiable traits in circular cancer cells. All this proves that liquid biopsy can simplify cancer diagnosis and monitoring procedures.

Source: nature.com

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh discovered a group of key cells in testicular regeneration. Blocking these cells also blocks the tissue repair process, which serves to produce healthy spermatozoa. Discovery could help develop new tools against male infertility.

Testicles are organs very exposed to possible external damage, including radiation and chemotherapy. Although they have saved lives for so many children, these treatments often lead to infertility. In some cases, however, internal cellular mechanisms can repair tissue damage. It is still unclear how this will happen.
The Edinburgh team removed the cells known as Miwi2 from a group of mice. The cells without the expressed cells were unable to repair the testicles. This proves the role of this type of cell in cell regeneration. It also emerged that Miwi2 has functions similar to those of stem cells that allow them to respond to damage.

The study opens several options for pre-puberty children undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy. It is, in fact, the first step to understanding how to repair the testicles, so that they can recover their reproductive functions. Now you will need to locate Miwi2 equivalent in humans.

Source: eurekalert.org