RNA released from damaged cells acts as signal to initiate repair after injury

New research from the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI) at Monash University has identified novel cell types and RNA signals that may assist with brain and spinal cord repair. Tissues and organs have different capacities to regenerate after injury or disease. Identifying cell types and signals that can promote repair is particularly important for organs […]

Plant-derived compound isorhamnetin may have antiviral potential against SARS-CoV-2

The lack of new or repurposed drugs to treat patients with severe or critical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been one of the biggest hurdles to reducing mortality rates in the ongoing pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A new study, published online in the journal Drug Development Research, describes […]

COVID19's cytokine storm ushers in a local complement storm in the lungs

A new study published in the journal Science Immunology analyzed lung epithelial cells from patients infected with COVID-19 and found the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) induces the complement system as a dangerous weapon for viral infection. The complement system is an extension of the innate immune system to recognize pathogens and remove […]

Three ways RNA is being used in the next generation of medical treatment

You might have heard the term “RNA” recently thanks to the development of the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines, which protect against COVID-19. But the potential medical uses of RNA molecules go much further than vaccines. RNAs, or ribonucleic acids, are some of the most important molecules for life on this planet. RNA is found […]

New RNA-sequencing method can help detect numerous modified small RNAs

A team led by a biomedical scientist at the University of California, Riverside, has developed a new RNA-sequencing method– "Panoramic RNA Display by Overcoming RNA Modification Aborted Sequencing," or PANDORA-seq — that can help discover numerous modified small RNAs that were previously undetectable. RNA plays a central role in decoding the genetic information in DNA […]

Researchers develop new rapid and highly sensitive SAR-CoV-2 RNA detection test

The emergence of a novel human coronavirus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was first detected in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. SARS-CoV-2 causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a heterogeneous disease. Due to its rapid spread across the world within a short period, by March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared […]

Study reveals arsenal used by protozoans to make leishmaniasis more severe

Researchers have succeeded in revealing the arsenal used by protozoans of the genus Leishmania in human cells to make leishmaniasis more severe, especially in cases of the mucocutaneous variety of the disease, which can cause deformations in patients. The discovery points the way to a search for novel treatments for the disease as well as […]

New study aims to develop alternative treatment for posterior eye diseases

Getting poked in the eye with a sharp object is a cringeworthy thought. However, many patients with posterior eye diseases — back of the eye diseases such as macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy — undergo eye injections through the wall of the eye as a medical treatment on a regular basis. "Direct injections of medications […]

SARS-CoV-2 Brazilian variant may potentially escape T cell-mediated host immune responses

A team of scientists from Brazil recently explored the abilities of the UK, South African, and Brazilian variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to evade host CD8+ T cell responses induced by natural infection or vaccination. The findings reveal reduced antigenic coverage for the P.2 Brazilian lineage, indicating its ability to evade […]