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

New tool to generate aneuploidies and analyze their impact on development

2025-06-03
(Press-News.org) Barcelona, 3 June 2025 - More than 80% of early human embryos contain cells with an incorrect number of chromosomes—a phenomenon called aneuploidy. This typically stems from errors in chromosome segregation during the very first cell divisions. Remarkably, aneuploid cells are eliminated before implantation. When this does not happen, aneuploidy causes miscarriages or developmental disorders. Understanding how aneuploid cells are eliminated in these early stages is crucial for gaining insights into fertility, and it could also have implications for diseases like cancer.

A team led by Dr. Marco Milán at IRB Barcelona has developed a tool that can generate customized aneuploidies and that precisely labels the cells that carry these aneuploidies in living tissue, offering an unprecedented window through which to observe the behaviour of these cells in real-time.

Published in the journal Cell Genomics, the method acts like a pair of “molecular scissors”, allowing the number of copies of large regions of the genome to be changed, leading to both monosomies (a single copy) and trisomies (three copies). “We can select which bit of the genome we want to alter and can immediately observe how cells respond,” explains Dr. Milán, ICREA researchers at IRB Barcelona. The tool was tested in epithelial tissue from the Drosophila fly.

The main conclusions drawn by the study are, on the one hand, the presence of a high number of haploinsufficient genes (genes in which a single copy weakens the growth and survival of monosomic cells), and, on the other, that their removal is expedited by cell competition with fitter neighbouring cells. The elimination of aneuploid cells, therefore, depends on both the internal gene deficit and the environment.

 

When “a copy of the instruction manual is missing”

Monosomic cells lose one of the two chromosomal doses, impacting dozens or hundreds of key genes. Some of these genes are haploinsufficient, meaning a single copy no longer produces enough protein to keep the cellular machinery operating at full capacity.

Among the most well-known haploinsufficient genes are those that code for ribosomal proteins, the fundamental building blocks of the cell's protein-making machinery. When a cell suddenly reduces the amount of even a single ribosomal subunit, overall protein production slows down, leading to increased cellular stress. This deficit turns the cell into a "weak player" within the tissue.

Thanks to one of the two systems developed in this work, which allows researchers to generate monosomic cells within normal tissue, it's been demonstrated that the genome contains a large number of haploinsufficient genes beyond those coding for ribosomal proteins. This research also shows that monosomic cells are eliminated through various molecular mechanisms of cell competition.

 

Cell competition

The experiments show that monosomic cells grow more slowly but that their final fate is determined by surrounding cells. Thanks to the second system developed in this study, which allows the generation of monosomic and trisomic cells simultaneously in the same tissue, the researchers observed that the latter can accelerate the removal of monosomic cells. “We found that the “fittest” cells literally push aneuplodies towards apoptosis; if these aneuploid cells are left alone, they can survive,” says Dr. Elena Fusari, first author of the study and recipient of a “la Caixa” fellowship.

The results indicate that the interaction between the cells themselves is as important as the aneuploidy, an idea that paves the way for treatments that modify neighbouring cells to force the removal of pathological clones.

 

Consequences for fertility and oncology

Recreating this cellular duel helps explain why in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics typically discard embryos with high levels of aneuploidy. “In the field of assisted reproduction, there's a growing reconsideration of current embryo selection criteria. This shift comes as new research suggests that embryos may actually be capable of eliminating problematic cells on their own,” says Dr. Fusari. Also, understanding the “rules” of competition between aneuploid cells paves the way towards the development of therapies to clear cancer cells, which are also aneuploid, from healthy tissue.

 

Next steps

Using the developed tool, the team plans to carry out an exhaustive search of all haploinsufficient regions of the Drosophila genome. “The goal is to map which genes trigger competition signals and how we can modulate this response,” concludes Dr. Milán. In the long-term, this knowledge could be used to increase the success rate of assisted reproduction treatments  and to develop drugs to tackle aneuploidy, which is a characteristic of many tumours.

The study was supported by the Fundación “la Caixa”, the Ministry of Science and Innovation, the ERDF, and the Government of Catalonia, through the CERCA program.

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

SwRI-led research finds particles energized by magnetic reconnection in the nascent solar wind

2025-06-03
SAN ANTONIO — June 3, 2025 — New research led by a Southwest Research Institute scientist identified a new source of energetic particles near the Sun. These definitive observations were made by instruments aboard NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, which detected the powerful phenomena as the spacecraft dipped in and out of the solar corona. These new results offer fresh perspectives on how magnetic reconnection could heat the solar atmosphere, which then transitions into the solar wind, and also how solar flares accelerate a small fraction of charged particles to ...

Aging increases brain’s sensitivity to hypoxia and blood-brain barrier damage in mice

2025-06-03
“As advanced age is associated with increased incidence of hypoxia-associated conditions such as asthma, emphysema, ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and apnea, our findings have important implications for many people.” BUFFALO, NY — June 3, 2025 — A new research paper was published in  Aging (Aging-US) on May 1, 2025, as the cover of Volume 17, Issue 5, titled “Defining the hypoxic thresholds that trigger blood-brain barrier disruption: the effect of age.” In this ...

Eating more phytosterols could lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes

2025-06-03
Heart disease and type 2 diabetes rank among the leading causes of death and disability in the United States, and eating a healthy diet rich in plant-based foods can help to prevent or delay both of these conditions. New research suggests that a particular component of plant-based foods, known as phytosterol, could be instrumental in lowering the risk.   According to the study, people who consumed more phytosterol—a compound structurally similar to cholesterol found in some plant foods—had a significantly lower risk of both heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Higher phytosterol intake was also associated with markers of better insulin regulation and reduced inflammation, ...

Eating more sweet food may not sway sweet preference

2025-06-03
Turns out, your sweet tooth may not be shaped by your diet. Findings from a new randomized controlled trial suggest that eating more sweet-tasting foods doesn’t increase someone’s preference for sweet tastes.   The researchers found that after six months on diets with varying amounts of sweet foods, study participants' preference for sweetness stayed the same, no matter how much sweet-tasting foods they ate.   “We also found that diets with lower or higher dietary sweetness ...

Scientists propose new approach for classifying processed foods

2025-06-03
Recent years have seen growing scrutiny and debate around processed foods, but researchers have struggled to pin down what aspects of food processing are most relevant to health. Now, scientists have developed a system for classifying processed foods based on information about the health impacts associated with particular ingredients.   The new approach was developed by WISEcode, creator of an app that provides consumers with information about the food ingredients found in packaged goods.   “WISEcode’s approach is more nuanced and objective than previous classification ...

New study: Daily mango intake may support postmenopausal heart and metabolic health

2025-06-03
ORLANDO, Fla., June 3, 2025 – Each year, 1.3 million women enter menopause—a life stage during which heart disease risk rises significantly. Nearly half of American women are affected by cardiovascular disease, and since women spend up to 40% of their lives postmenopausal, managing heart health is especially important. A new study published in the Journal of the American Nutrition Association found that eating about two servings of mangos daily for two weeks (330 g, about 1.5 cups) significantly ...

Study finds daily cup of beans boosts heart and metabolic health

2025-06-03
A new study suggests that regularly eating a cup of beans a day may offer measurable benefits for heart and metabolic health. Incorporating beans into daily diets could serve as a simple, cost-effective way to reduce the risk of chronic diseases.   The 12-week study of 72 people with prediabetes showed an association between chickpea consumption and improved cholesterol levels, while eating black beans was linked with reduced inflammation.   "Individuals with prediabetes often exhibit ...

Freshwater fish in US carry introduced human-infecting parasites

2025-06-03
More than 90% of popular freshwater game fish in Southern California contained an introduced parasite capable of infecting humans, according to a new study from researchers at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography.  The parasites found in the study — two species of flatworms called trematodes — typically cause gastrointestinal problems, weight loss or lethargy when they infect humans. In some rare and severe cases, the parasites have caused strokes or heart attacks. The findings, published June 3 in the Journal of ...

Sanaria reports positive initial safety results for groundbreaking PfSPZ-LARC2 malaria vaccine

2025-06-03
Safety Monitoring Committee Clears Clinical Trial to Advance to Younger Age Groups Physician-scientists at Groupe de Recherche Action en Santé (GRAS) in Burkina Faso have successfully completed initial safety evaluations in 30 adult Burkinabés as the first phase of a clinical trial of Sanaria® PfSPZ-LARC2 Vaccine, which is designed to prevent infection with Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The clinical trial is being conducted in collaboration with Sanaria Inc., Seattle Children’s Research Institute (SCRI) and ...

FAU study explores barriers and trends in cannabis use disorder treatment

2025-06-03
As cannabis becomes more potent and widely used in the United States – especially among young adults – concerns about cannabis use disorder are growing. More than 16 million Americans meet the criteria, yet most never receive treatment. Despite the scale of the issue, we know surprisingly little about who gets help and why so many don’t. This treatment gap raises urgent questions about access, awareness and stigma. As laws and attitudes around cannabis shift, understanding the real-world barriers ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

UChicago receives $21 million to establish visionary center in quantum engineering and health

Inherited genetic trait predicts resistance to immunotherapy for deadly skin cancer

Oxford physicists recreate extreme quantum vacuum effects

Talking therapy could be effective treatment for stroke survivors

A new method for studying mechanical proteins and their involvement in muscular disorders

Two big events shaped the herbivores during 60 million years but their role remains

TU Graz study: front brake lights could significantly reduce the number of road accidents

A new mathematical model helps European regions set suitable targets to close gender gaps in education

Rapid testing for sexually transmitted infections on the horizon

Tech sector emissions, energy use grow with rise of AI

Smithsonian research reveals that probiotics slow spread of deadly disease decimating Caribbean reefs

Fungal resistance in wheat: preserving biodiversity for food security

’Round midnight: Late-night romance among medaka in near natural setting

Why seismic waves spontaneously race inside the earth

Survival of the greenest: Why world’s oldest organizations are surpassing young upstarts in environmental sustainability

Have female earwigs evolved their forceps as weapons in battles for mates?

Baby's microbiome may protect against childhood viral infection

Diabetes drug shows benefits for patients with liver disease

P2Y12 drugs may be better than aspirin to prevent heart attack and stroke in patients with coronary artery disease

Long-term data show sustained efficacy and safety of zigakibart in patients with IgA nephropathy

Landmark study reveals survival limits of kidney transplantation in older and high-risk patients

Targeting mitochondria to fight leukemia: Rice University-led research team pursues new treatment strategies

Antibiotics taken during pregnancy may reduce preterm births

Vigilance and targeted public health measures are essential in the face of the diphtheria epidemic that has affected vulnerable populations in Western Europe since 2022

New study: Personalized exercise boosts health for people with neuromuscular disease

FAMU-FSU College of Engineering researchers discover universal law of quantum vortex dynamics

AI analysis of ancient handwriting provides new age estimates for Dead Sea Scrolls

As many as 1 in 5 women with a history of pregnancy or testing for pregnancy report using crisis pregnancy centers across 4 US states

Six decades of data on North Atlantic phytoplankton reveal that their biomass has decreased up to 2% annually across most of the Atlantic Ocean, with potentially widespread implications for the wider

GPT-generated educational materials for urological cancer patients, translated by AI into five languages, are rated by doctors as easier to read than human-authored versions while being just as clear,

[Press-News.org] New tool to generate aneuploidies and analyze their impact on development