PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Researchers develop personalized stem cell model ALS for fast, individualized drug testing

Researchers develop personalized stem cell model ALS for fast, individualized drug testing
2024-12-19
(Press-News.org) Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fast-progressing neurodegenerative disease with an average survival time of three years. In ALS, certain types of neurons called motor neurons that are required for muscle contractions die off, leading to progressive paralysis affecting most muscles of the body. The molecular causes of ALS are poorly understood, and effective treatments are missing.  

To study ALS in the lab, Hideyuki Okano and his colleagues from Keio University, Japan, developed a new method to make motor neurons from stem cells taken directly from ALS patients. The results were published today in the journal Stem Cell Reports. Since timing is key to help individual patients, Okano’s team optimized their method to obtain functional and mature motor neurons in only two weeks. Intriguingly, just like in patients, the cultured ALS motor neurons had increased susceptibility to cell death compared to neurons from healthy people, underscoring the utility of this system to identify potential drugs to delay or prevent these motor neuron deaths. To automatize the analysis of these cells, the researchers teamed up with the Japanese company Nikon that developed a specialized software to track neuron survival in cultures over time, thus enabling this assay to be used as a high-throughput screen to identify potential drugs. Notably, the investigators applied this new method to investigate the drug responses of sporadic ALS patients, as reported in Morimoto et al., Cell Stem Cell, 2023, and demonstrated a correlation between the iPSC model and patient phenotypes related to drug response. Researchers hope that this new lab-based model of ALS will help to identify new treatments tailored to each individual patient in a sufficiently short timeframe to slow down disease progression, prolong survival, and improve the quality of life.   

About Stem Cell Reports
Stem Cell Reports is the open access, peer-reviewed journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians.
Follow on X: @StemCellReports

END

[Attachments] See images for this press release:
Researchers develop personalized stem cell model ALS for fast, individualized drug testing

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Evolutionary study reveals the toxic reach of disease-causing bacteria across the Plant Kingdom

Evolutionary study reveals the toxic reach of disease-causing bacteria across the Plant Kingdom
2024-12-19
The capacity of bacteria to spread disease across the Plant Kingdom may be much more widespread than previously suspected, according to new analysis.  John Innes Centre researchers took a comparative evolutionary approach, using the diversity of Pseudomonas syringae bacteria, to determine how this pathogen infects distantly related plants.  In experiments, researchers in the team of Dr Phil Carella, group leader, analysed the toxin syringomycin produced by the most widely infectious P. syringae strains, and compared its effect on both non-flowering and flowering plants.  The results showed that syringomycin was toxic in non-flowering plants (represented in this ...

Cold-related deaths in the US

2024-12-19
About The Study: Cold-related mortality rates more than doubled in the U.S. between 1999 and 2022. Prior research suggests that cold temperatures account for most temperature-related mortality. This study identified an increase in such deaths over the past 6 years. The underlying drivers of this trend warrant further research and may include more frequent extreme winter weather events and/or the rising burden of risk factors for cold-related mortality such as homelessness, social isolation, ...

Brief outpatient rehabilitation program for post–COVID-19 condition

2024-12-19
About The Study: In this randomized clinical trial that compared a brief outpatient rehabilitation program with a cognitive and behavioral approach with usual care in 314 patients with post–COVID-19 condition, self-reported physical function improved statistically and clinically significantly in the intervention group after 2 to 8 outpatient encounters. The effect was sustained over time and adverse effects were negligible. This trial adds to the evidence supporting such interventions in routine clinical care. Future research should investigate which elements ...

Racial and ethnic differences in outcomes of neonates born at less than 30 weeks’ gestation

2024-12-19
About The Study: In this cohort study, there were no differences in mortality rates between Black and white newborns, but Black newborns had higher rates of necrotizing enterocolitis and late-onset sepsis. Continued quality improvement and addressing social determinants of health are critical for promoting health equity in hospital outcomes and beyond. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Nansi S. Boghossian, PhD, email nboghoss@mailbox.sc.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.51707) Editor’s ...

Physical activity during pregnancy and preterm birth among women with gestational diabetes

2024-12-19
About The Study: In this prospective cohort study, moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) during pregnancy was associated with a lower risk of preterm birth among women with gestational diabetes. Concentrated physical activity was associated with similar benefits in reducing preterm birth risk as regular physical activity. These findings provide key evidence for the health benefits of MVPA during pregnancy and lay the foundation for establishing physical activity guidelines for pregnant women with gestational diabetes. Corresponding ...

Developmental disorder discovery could lead to better treatments for Rett syndrome

2024-12-19
Scientists investigating the severe developmental disorder known as Rett syndrome have discovered a series of crucial molecular changes that occur long before symptoms appear. The findings could be used to develop better treatments for the devastating, life-shortening condition, the researchers say. Rett syndrome strikes girls almost exclusively. Children with Rett initially appear healthy and appear to develop normally for the first six to 18 months before beginning to regress and lose previously acquired skills. For example, children who crawl can become unable to do so, and language skills ...

Laser-based artificial neuron mimics nerve cell functions at lightning speed

Laser-based artificial neuron mimics nerve cell functions at lightning speed
2024-12-19
WASHINGTON — Researchers have developed a laser-based artificial neuron that fully emulates the functions, dynamics and information processing of a biological graded neuron. With a signal processing speed of 10 GBaud —a billion times faster than its biological counterparts — the new laser graded neuron could lead to breakthroughs in fields like artificial intelligence and other types of advanced computing. The body contains various types of nerve cells, including graded neurons that encode ...

Empowering young scientists to build a sustainable future

Empowering young scientists to build a sustainable future
2024-12-19
As the world faces the pressing challenge of climate change, global and national organizations are on the constant lookout for strategies to combat this concern. In this vein, world leaders adopted the ‘Pact for the Future,’ including a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations as annexes, at the ‘Summit of the Future’ held at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in September 2024. To align with the UN initiatives, the Global Young Academy (GYA), the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable ...

New review explores advances in alcohol-associated liver disease

New review explores advances in alcohol-associated liver disease
2024-12-19
A newly published review in eGastroenterology compiles recent research on alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), offering an overview of its pathogenesis and efforts to better understand this condition. ALD, caused by excessive alcohol consumption, remains a significant contributor to liver-related mortality worldwide. Effective treatments are still limited, underscoring the need for a deeper understanding of its mechanisms. This review summarizes findings on the cellular, molecular, and systemic processes involved in ALD progression, with a focus on liver ...

Reducing dose of popular blood thinners may limit risk of future bleeding

2024-12-19
For people taking popular blood thinners after having a blood clot, a reduced dose may limit the future risk of bleeding as well as hospital visits, a Michigan Medicine-led study suggests. The research team focused the study on the two most prescribed direct oral anticoagulants, or DOACs, rivaroxaban (brand name Xarelto) and apixaban (brand name Eliquis). Investigators analyzed nearly1,000 cases of patients who were treated for a blood clot, also known as venous thromboembolism, and who were taking the medications to prevent one from recurring. Some patients had their doses reduced after six months, while others stayed on the full therapeutic dose.  While ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Study finds significant health benefits from gut bugs transfer

UC Riverside pioneers way to remove private data from AI models

Total-body PET imaging takes a look at long COVID

Surgery to treat chronic sinus disease more effective than antibiotics

New online tool could revolutionize how high blood pressure is treated

Around 90% of middle-aged and older autistic adults are undiagnosed in the UK, new review finds

Robot regret: New research helps robots make safer decisions around humans

Cells ‘vomit’ waste to promote healing, mouse study reveals

Wildfire mitigation strategies can cut destruction by half, study finds

Sniffing out how neurons are made

New AI tool identifies 1,000 ‘questionable’ scientific journals

Exploring the promise of human iPSC-heart cells in understanding fentanyl abuse

Raina Biosciences unveils breakthrough generative AI platform for mRNA therapeutics featured in Science

Yellowstone’s free roaming bison drive grassland resilience

Turbulent flow in heavily polluted Tijuana River drives regional air quality risks

Revealed: Genetic shifts that helped tame horses and made them rideable

Mars’ mantle is a preserved relic of its ancient past, seismic data reveals

Variation inside and out: cell types in fruit fly metamorphosis

Mount Sinai researchers use AI and lab tests to predict genetic disease risk

When bison are room to roam, they reawaken the Yellowstone ecosystem

Mars’s interior more like Rocky Road than Millionaire’s Shortbread, scientists find

Tijuana River’s toxic water pollutes the air

Penn engineers send quantum signals with standard internet protocol

Placebo pain relief works differently across human body, study finds

New method could monitor corrosion and cracking in a nuclear reactor

Pennington Biomedical researchers find metabolic health of pregnant women may matter more than weight gain

World’s first custom anterior cervical spine surgery

Quantum Research Sciences developing AI platform to help Air Force more efficiently connect with industry

MERIT grant awarded to study cure for HIV

Not all calories are equal: Ultra-processed foods harm men’s health

[Press-News.org] Researchers develop personalized stem cell model ALS for fast, individualized drug testing