CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. , March 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AMPEL BioSolutions today announced a genomic precision medicine test for chronic kidney diseases, such as Lupus Nephritis, that could save lives by predicting kidney damage before it ...
Marketing Leader Turned Rare Disease Researcher - Jason Curry launches new rare disease foundation to focus on accelerating therapeutic targeted research for the SCN2A disease & unite the data silos. PITTSBURGH , Feb. 28, 2023 ...
- Partnership Combines AbbVie's extensive capabilities with Capsida's novel adeno-associated virus (AAV) engineering platform - Builds upon the neurodegenerative disease partnership announced in 2021 NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. and ...
SAN DIEGO , Feb. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Primordial Genetics, Inc., a synthetic biology company, today announced the launch of its proprietary RNA polymerases to advance safe, viable mRNA-based vaccines and therapeutics. The collection ...
Alba Tull has made a generous donation of $500,000 to the Rett Syndrome Research Trust (RSRT) for a clinical study to determine the ability of the Emerald biosensor to accurately measure Rett syndrome symptoms, a key factor necessary for ...
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. , Jan. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AMPEL BioSolutions today announces a breakthrough in precision and personalized medicine that could revolutionize the way doctors treat chronic pain syndromes, such as fibromyalgia. ...
HOW GENETIC TESTING CAN PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE IN PROACTIVE HEALTHCARE SAN FRANCISCO , Jan. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- BACKGROUND: As we enter a brand-new year, many people are looking for a new outlook on their health, with a ...
Catalent, the leader in enabling the development and supply of better treatments for patients worldwide, today announced the launch of its new Case Management Service, which has been specifically designed to address the unique challenges ...
In this free webinar, learn about the significance of cell and gene therapy and its impact on the healthcare ecosystem. Attendees will understand the concepts and trends of the evolving payer landscape. The featured speakers will discuss the ...
LAGOS, Nigeria , Dec. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- It is estimated that 5% of the world's over 8 billion population carries an abnormal haemoglobin, a staggering statistics in stark figures. Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is the world's ...
Genetic predisposition towards greater muscle strength is associated with a longer lifespan and reduced vulnerability to common diseases, based on analysis of health and genome...
Stem cell therapy emerges as a viable and safe choice for individuals grappling with challenging traumatic spinal cord injuries , said experts ( ). Stem Cell Therapy’s Safety and Promising Benefits "This study documents the safety and ...
Researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), US have identified over 275 million genetic variants that were not previously reported. This undiscovered pool of variants opens up new avenues for comprehending the genetic factors impacting ...
CDD - CDKL5 deficiency disorder, a most common type of genetic epilepsy in children, occurs due to the loss of genes producing the CDKL5 enzyme. Scientists at the Francis Crick...
Leveraging genetic mapping, scientists pinpointed a gene on human chromosome 21 named Dyrk1a. In the mouse model of Down syndrome , having three copies of this gene leads to heart defects . While Dyrk1a has been associated with cognitive impairment and facial changes in Down syndrome, its involvement in heart development was previously unknown. ( ) Down syndrome affects around 1 in 800 new births and is caused by an extra third copy of chromosome 21. About half of babies born with Down syndrome have heart defects, such as a failure of the heart to separate into four chambers, leaving a ‘hole in the heart’. If the heart defects are very serious, high-risk surgery might be needed soon after birth and people often require ongoing monitoring of the heart for the rest of their life. Therefore, better treatment options are needed and this must be guided by knowledge of which of the extra 230 genes on chromosome 21 are responsible for the heart defects. But before this study the identity of these causative genes was not known. In research published today in Science Translational Medicine , the team at the Crick and UCL studied human Down syndrome fetal hearts as well as embryonic hearts from a mouse model of Down syndrome. An extra copy of Dyrk1a turned down the activity of genes required for cell division in the developing heart and the function of the mitochondria, which produce energy for the cells. These changes correlated with a failure to correctly separate the chambers of the heart. Unveiling the Missing Link in Down Syndrome Heart Defects The team found that while Dyrk1a is required in three copies to cause heart defects in mice, it was not sufficient alone. Thus, another unknown gene must also be involved in the origin of heart defects in Down syndrome. The team is currently searching for this second gene. Dyrk1a codes for an enzyme called DYRK1A. The researchers tested a DYRK1A inhibitor on mice pregnant with pups that model the hearts defects in Down syndrome, as their hearts were forming. When DYRK1A was inhibited, the genetic changes were partially reversed and the heart defects in the pups were less severe. Victor Tybulewicz, Group Leader of the Immune Cell Biology Laboratory & Down Syndrome Laboratory, said: “Our research shows that inhibiting DYRK1A can partially reverse changes in mouse hearts, suggesting that this may be a useful therapeutic approach. “However, in humans the heart forms in the first 8 weeks of pregnancy, likely before a baby could be screened for Down syndrome, so this would be too early for treatment. The hope is that a DYRK1A inhibitor could have an effect on the heart later in pregnancy, or even better after birth. These are possibilities we are currently investigating.” This research forms part of the lab’s overall goal to understand the genetics behind all aspects of Down syndrome. Eva Lana-Elola, Principal Laboratory Research Scientist at the Crick, and co-first author, said: “It was remarkable that just restoring the copy number of one gene from 3 to 2 reversed the heart defects in the mouse model for Down syndrome. We’re now aiming to understand which of the other genes on this extra chromosome are involved. Even though Dyrk1a isn’t the only gene involved, it’s clearly a major player in many different aspects of Down syndrome.” Rifdat Aoidi, Postdoctoral Project Research Scientist at the Crick, and co-first author, said: “We don’t yet know why the changes in cell division and mitochondria mean the heart can’t correctly form chambers. Dysfunction in the mitochondria has also been linked to cognitive impairment in Down syndrome, so boosting mitochondrial function could be another promising avenue for therapy.” Reference: Increased dosage of DYRK1A leads to congenital heart defects in a mouse model of Down syndrome - (https:...
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