What’s been going on in the life sciences world this week? Check out Week in Brief for an overview of the biggest news from the last seven days.
New research has suggested that decreasing oxygen intake may reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease by preventing an accumulation of oxygen in the brain. The work, carried out in a mouse model, showed that exposure to a low-oxygen environment could even reverse symptoms of the condition.
Researchers have studied the development of the heart in zebrafish. Specifically, the study focused on the development of muscular ridges called trabeculae, and could shed new light on heart diseases.
An analysis of data from 17,000 endometrial cancer patients from across the globe has revealed five regions of the genome associated with the disease. These findings could not only help to predict who is at risk of developing this type of cancer, but also contribute to personalised treatment plans.
Mitochondrial DNA in human eggs does not accumulate age-related mutations, according to a new study. Using DNA sequencing, the researchers discovered the mutation rate of mitochondrial DNA increases in other cells over time, but not in oocytes, suggesting a protective mechanism to preserve fertility.
A recent review has detailed the sex-specific differences that could underpin autoimmune diseases. The work highlights the role of X chromosome genes in the immune response and explains why women suffer from autoimmune disorders more often than men.
A new computational tool has been released, which includes an accessible interface for transcriptomic data analysis. The tool, HTGAnalyzer, does not require any bioinformatics expertise to use and simplifies transcriptomic workflows for potential precision medicine applications.
Research has shown that testing for two gene variants could help gastrointestinal cancer patients avoid some side effects. These variants can help to predict response to chemotherapy, which could allow clinicians to make better decisions around treatment and dosage.
An analysis of data from nearly one million individuals has identified genetic variants that may explain why some older people suffer from frailty. The variants were linked to brain function, immune defense and metabolism.
Researchers have discovered a new pathway for type 2 diabetes involving the HNF1A gene. They found that a loss of function in this gene leads to defects in pancreatic beta cells, which in turn affects a specific RNA splicing program essential for proper beta-cell function.
Finally, new research has shown that children who are obese are more likely to have obese parents, in part because they may inherit obesity related genes. However, they can also be impacted by genes their parents have but have not passed down, which can influence nurturing decisions and impact the environment the children grow up in.
Check out last week’s Week in Brief here.
