A new preclinical study shows that red blood cells can be tagged in vivo and used as long-lasting carriers for imaging agents and therapies, opening a new route for safer drug delivery and vascular imaging. Study: In vivo metabolic tagging and targeting of circulating red blood cells. Image Credit: The1969 Studio / Shutterstock In a … Read more
New research reveals how hypoxia-driven red blood cell adaptations may reshape glucose regulation, offering fresh insight into diabetes biology and potential therapeutic strategies. Study: Red blood cells serve as a primary glucose sink to improve glucose tolerance at altitude. Image Credit: nobeastsofierce / Shutterstock In a recent study published in the journal Cell Metabolism, researchers investigated … Read more
New research on avian malaria, which has decimated Hawaii’s beloved birds, explains how non-native birds play a key role in transmission and contribute to the widespread distribution of the disease. This disease threatens many native species that are integral to Hawaii’s identity and its unique and fragile ecosystems. Avian malaria, caused by a microscopic parasite … Read more
A new study uncovers how diabetic red blood cells release toxic packages that damage blood vessels, revealing a promising path for preventing serious complications. EVs derived from RBCs of patients with T2D are taken up by the endothelium and impair endothelium-dependent relaxation via an EV-mediated transfer of the prooxidant enzyme Arg1. Proteoglycan remodeling is a … Read more
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have discovered how a parasite that causes malaria when transmitted through a mosquito bite can hide from the body’s immune system, sometimes for years. It turns out that the parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, can shut down a key set of genes, rendering itself “immunologically invisible.” “This finding provides another piece of … Read more
A high-dose fish oil supplement slashed clot-promoting blood vesicles in healthy adults—outperforming oily fish and pointing to EPA as the key driver behind these cardiovascular benefits. Accepted manuscript: High dose fish oil supplements are more effective than oily fish in altering the number and function of extracellular vesicles in healthy human subjects: A randomized, double-blind, … Read more
In a new case study, researchers from North Carolina State University found Bartonella henselae, Babesia odocoilei and Babesia divergens-like MO-1 DNA in brain tissue samples from a young child with seizures and suspected Rasmussen’s encephalitis. The findings further support the idea that these pathogens can be a cofactor in complex neurological illnesses. Bartonella are a group of vector-borne bacteria transmitted … Read more
In the first instalment of a series to mark the 10th anniversary of the Future Science Prize, Holly Chik and Shen Xinmei look at Professor Dennis Lo’s groundbreaking discovery of fetal DNA in maternal plasma, which earned him the inaugural award in the Life Sciences category in 2016. The blood tests of the future can … Read more
Meeting the minimum requirement for vitamin B12, needed to make DNA, red blood cells and nerve tissue, may not actually be enough – particularly if you are older. It may even put you at risk for cognitive impairment. A new study, led by UC San Francisco researchers, found that older, healthy volunteers, with lower concentrations … Read more
The Secret to Youth? it Might Be in Your Blood Type Not all people age at the same pace. While genetics, biology, surroundings, and lifestyle play significant roles, recent research suggests that your blood group could be the key to unlocking the secrets of youth. An international team of researchers has discovered that the … Read more