Medical Bulletin 11/February/2023

Here are the top medical news for the day:

Study identifies a new compound that inhibits influenza virus replication

Researchers from the Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation2 at the University of Bonn, together with Japanese researchers, want to exploit that fact that viruses use the molecular repertoire of the host cell to replicate, for the treatment of influenza. The team led by Prof. Hiroki Kato from the Institute of Cardiovascular Immunology at the University Hospital Bonn has identified a compound that inhibits the body's own methyltransferase MTr1, thereby limiting the replication of influenza viruses. The compound proved effective in lung tissue preparations and mouse studies and showed synergistic effects with already approved influenza drugs. The study is now published in the journal Science.

To replicate, viruses need a host cell. There they introduce their genetic information in the form of the nucleic acids DNA or RNA. These molecular blueprints are used in the host cell to produce new viruses. In order to distinguish foreign from its own nucleic acids, the cell uses a kind of labeling system. Own RNA, for example, is tagged with a molecular cap that identifies it as non-hazardous. This enables the immune system to react specifically to threats.

Reference:

Yuta Tsukamoto et. al.: Inhibition of cellular RNA methyltransferase abrogates influenza virus capping and replication, DOI: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.add0875

Pancreatic cancer rates rising faster in women than men, confirms study findings

The pancreas, located just behind the stomach, secretes enzymes and hormones that help the body digest food and process sugars. Pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate of all major cancers, accounting for 3% of all cancer deaths in the U.S. and is more common among men than women.

In a large-scale nationwide study, investigators from Cedars-Sinai Cancer have confirmed that rates of pancreatic cancer are rising - and are rising faster among younger women, particularly Black women, than among men of the same age. Their work was published today in the peer-reviewed journal Gastroenterology.

Reference:

Srinivas Gaddam et al,CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER, Gastroenterology

Rare neurological disease involving cellular recycling discovered by NIH scientists

ATG4D aids in the cellular housekeeping process called autophagy, which cells use to break down and recycle damaged proteins and other defective pieces of the cell to stay healthy. Autophagy is a fundamental process used by cells throughout the body, but neurons are particularly dependent on autophagy for survival. However, little is known about how ATG4D contributes to healthy neurons.

Scientists from NIH’s National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and Undiagnosed Diseases Program (UDP) identified three children with the condition, two siblings and an unrelated child. The three children all had issues with motor coordination and speech, and one child had abnormalities in the cerebellum, the part of the brain involved in complex movement among other functions. Additionally, the children all had mutations in both copies of the ATG4D gene.

Reference:

Bi-allelic ATG4D variants are associated with a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by speech and motor impairment,npj Genomic Medicine,doi 10.1038/s41525-022-00343-8