Researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have identified a cell surface receptor protein called TIE2 as the missing link between two key signaling pathways that drive the growth of blood vessel abnormalities known as cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs). The study, to be published March 27 in the Journal of … Read more
Cells behave like cities and organelles carry out infrastructural roles: Mitochondria are powerhouses, the endoplasmic reticulum serves as a transport hub and lysosomes help with waste disposal. Communication between different parts of a cell is important for metabolism. This inter-organelle communication can occur at sites where these parts are in contact with each other, known … Read more
Researchers have discovered that mutations in the FOXJ3 gene act as a “master switch” failure, disrupting how the brain builds its layers and leading to FCD, a primary cause of drug-resistant epilepsy. The study reveals how FOXJ3 controls the formation of brain cortical layers during brain development by regulating the PTEN–mTOR signaling pathway. The PTEN-mTOR … Read more
Neuropathy – chronic pain, numbness and tingling in the hands and feet – is a challenging fact of life for many patients with Type 1 diabetes. Thanks to a new National Institutes of Health grant, a University of Central Florida (UCF) College of Medicine scientist is investigating a new approach to treat neuropathy without relying on … Read more
Researchers from The University of Osaka find that chronic liver congestion is linked to severe liver diseases through a specific signaling pathway in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells – key cells lining the liver’s tiny blood vessels. The long-term stasis of blood in the liver, known as chronic liver congestion, can lead to a range of … Read more
A recent study identifies Neural EGFL-like 2 (NELL2), a secreted protein, as a key regulator of bone homeostasis, offering potential therapeutic applications for osteoporosis. NELL2 promotes osteoblast differentiation and inhibits adipocyte formation in bone marrow stromal cells, addressing the bone remodeling imbalance in osteoporosis. The study further uncovers the molecular mechanism of NELL2’s action, revealing … Read more
In a study of the immune systems of mice, scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have found a new role for a protein, QRICH1, which could become a target for drugs to dial up or down the activation of T cells to fight cancers and autoimmune diseases. The research was designed to advance development … Read more
A new review was published in Oncotarget, Volume 16, on March 13, 2025, titled “Signaling pathway dysregulation in breast cancer.” In this review article, Dinara Ryspayeva and colleagues from Brown University provide a detailed look at how breast cancer cells change the way they communicate and grow-helping tumors survive, spread, and resist treatment. The review … Read more
Surgical adhesions – common, sometimes life-threatening complications that arise after open or laparoscopic abdominal surgery – can be prevented in mice and pigs by a gel impregnated with a molecule that blocks a key signaling pathway in the formation of scar tissue. The gel can be applied as a spray or a wash to the … Read more
CD8+ T cells accumulate in atherosclerotic plaques. LMU researchers identify a crucial signaling pathway – with therapeutic potential. Atherosclerosis is the most common cause of life-threatening cardiovascular diseases. The disease involves chronic inflammation of the inner walls of blood vessels and within atherosclerotic plaques. A team led by Johan Duchêne and Remco Megens from the … Read more