March 30, 2024 - Cortisol and Blood Sugar Levels
contact bandages || optic nerves || CRISPR || Eggs || cancer || sleep & diabetes || vitamin D || household chemicals || cortisol || cushings || colorectal || mitochondria
This Week’s Headlines
+ Healing Eyes with Contact Lenses
+ Seeing a Path to Nerve Regeneration
+ New Genetic Analysis Tool Tracks Risks Tied to CRISPR Edits
+ Eggs May Not Be Bad for Your Heart After All
+ Over accelerating Cancer Cells
+ Inadequate Sleep Linked to Increased Type 2 Diabetes Risk
+ Vitamin D and Diabetes
+ Common Household Chemicals Pose New Threat to Brain Health
+ Cortisol's Role in Diabetes Elevated Blood Sugar
+ Bacteria Subtype Linked to Growth in Up to 50% of Human Colorectal Cancers
+ Insulin's Role in Modulating Mitochondrial Recycling
Healing Eyes with Contact Lenses
Quick Take - A new cool use for contacts. This advancement could potentially reduce recovery time and improve overall healing outcomes.
This innovative contact lens material developed by a University of Waterloo team could revolutionize the treatment of corneal wounds by acting as a bandage while releasing drugs to aid in faster healing. If you suffer from corneal abrasions or similar eye injuries, this advancement could potentially reduce recovery time and improve overall healing outcomes.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo have created a novel contact lens material aimed at treating corneal wounds. This material, derived from gelatin methacrylate, is ten times stronger than collagen and degrades in the presence of the enzyme MMP-9, which is abundant in the eye during wound healing. The lens releases drugs proportionally to the level of MMP-9 present, promoting targeted drug delivery. Human cell culture studies have shown complete wound healing within five days using this drug-releasing lens. Further development aims to fine-tune the material for broader applications beyond ocular use.
Seeing a Path to Nerve Regeneration
Quick Take - This research highlights a potential breakthrough in nerve regeneration, offering hope for conditions like glaucoma and other forms of nerve damage.
Researchers at UConn have identified a novel regeneration factor, nuclear factor erythroid 3 (Nfe3), capable of stimulating nerve cell regrowth, particularly in the optic nerve. Through gene therapy, they induced Nfe3 production in adult mice with crushed optic nerves, resulting in significant nerve fiber regrowth without associated risks of inflammation or tumor formation. This discovery represents a promising avenue for treating optic nerve damage, potentially restoring vision and offering preventive measures against conditions leading to visual loss. Further research aims to determine if regenerated nerve cells can reconnect to the brain, with implications extending to the treatment of paralysis and other nerve-related disorders.
New Genetic Analysis Tool Tracks Risks Tied to CRISPR Edits
Quick Take - CRISPR seems to be doing some cool things, being aware of and able to track the issues is key to evaluating the risk to you for any potential use of CRISPR.
Despite the promise of CRISPR gene editing, its efficacy is hindered by imperfect edits and potential risks. This new genetic analysis tool offers insight into unintended edits, aiding in the refinement and safety of CRISPR-based therapies.
Researchers at UC San Diego have developed the Integrated Classifier Pipeline (ICP) system, capable of identifying unintended bystander CRISPR edits through genetic fingerprints. By analyzing inheritance patterns, ICP offers insight into the mechanisms behind CRISPR edits and potential risks. This versatile platform has implications for human gene therapy, tumor progression studies, and tracking inheritance in gene drive systems, with potential applications in health and agriculture. Supported primarily by funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the study's authors, led by Professor Ethan Bier, envision ICP as a valuable tool for ensuring the safe and effective application of CRISPR-based technologies.
Eggs May Not Be Bad for Your Heart After All
Quick Take - Glad to see some research about the whole egg being good versus analyzing just parts of eggs, like the yolk. However, “fortified” eggs sounds quite franksteined and not like something I want to put in my body. The study was funded by the fortified egg folks.
The study, titled "Prospective Evaluation of Fortified Eggs Related to Improvement in the Biomarker Profile for Your Health: Primary Results from the PROSPERITY Trial," presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session, investigated the impact of consuming 12 or more fortified eggs per week versus a non-egg diet on lipid profiles and cardiovascular markers among 140 patients with or at high risk for cardiovascular disease over four months. Results indicated similar cholesterol levels between those consuming fortified eggs and those with minimal egg intake. Subgroup analyses hinted at potential benefits for older individuals and those with diabetes. The study, funded by Eggland's Best, highlights the need for further investigation into the role of fortified eggs in heart health, although its limitations include a small sample size and reliance on self-reported dietary habits.
Over accelerating Cancer Cells
Quick Take - A unique approach to cancer treatment involving the stimulation and exhaustion of cancer cells, potentially offering new avenues for therapeutic intervention.
In a departure from conventional cancer treatment methods, researchers are exploring a novel strategy centered around stimulating and exhausting cancer cells. Matheus dos Santos Dias leads the investigation, targeting the protein PP2A with a specific drug while combining it with a WEE1 inhibitor to impede stressed cells' function. Initial experiments on cancer cells and mice with patient tumors demonstrate promising results, with manageable side effects observed. Notably, resistant cells exhibit reduced malignancy, suggesting broader implications for understanding treatment resistance. This research, spearheaded by dos Santos Dias and supported by oncologist Neeltje Steeghs, challenges established cancer treatment paradigms, offering potential insights into combating the disease.
Inadequate Sleep Linked to Increased Type 2 Diabetes Risk
Quick Take - So many things for better health are linked to better sleep. Understanding the correlation between insufficient sleep and heightened risk of type 2 diabetes may prompt adjustments in sleep habits and lifestyle choices to mitigate potential health concerns.
A recent study conducted by researchers at Uppsala University suggests a noteworthy association between inadequate sleep and an elevated risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Analyzing data from over 880,000 individuals, the study indicates that individuals consistently sleeping less than six hours per night face a 30% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those getting seven to eight hours of sleep. The findings, published in the journal Diabetologia, underscore the importance of prioritizing sufficient sleep duration as a preventive measure against type 2 diabetes. The study employed a rigorous methodology, including longitudinal analysis and adjustment for various confounding factors such as age, sex, body mass index, and socioeconomic status, enhancing the reliability of the results. Additionally, the research team cross-referenced their findings with existing literature on sleep patterns and diabetes risk to provide a comprehensive understanding of the topic. This study contributes valuable insights to the ongoing discourse on the relationship between sleep quality and metabolic health.
Vitamin D and Diabetes
Quick Take - Vitamin D has so many other benefits that it seems like a reasonable extrapolation that if Vitamin D improved Type 1 situations that there would also be improvements and impacts for Type 2.
A recent study explored the potential relationship between vitamin D levels and the preservation of the honeymoon phase in individuals with type 1 diabetes. Researchers observed a correlation between higher serum vitamin D levels and a prolonged honeymoon phase, suggesting a potential protective effect of vitamin D against beta-cell destruction. The study, published in the Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications, analyzed data from individuals diagnosed with type 1 diabetes within the last three months, assessing their vitamin D status and monitoring the progression of the honeymoon phase over two years. Results indicated that participants with higher baseline vitamin D levels experienced a slower decline in beta-cell function, potentially extending the honeymoon phase. However, further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and establish definitive recommendations regarding vitamin D supplementation for individuals with type 1 diabetes.
What Is the Honeymoon Phase? The honeymoon phase describes the sometimes dramatic increase in a person’s natural insulin production immediately after their diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, after starting daily insulin therapy. While type 1 diabetes eventually destroys all or nearly all of the beta cells — the cells responsible for making insulin — this doesn’t happen immediately.