Medical Bulletin 29/March/2023

Here are the top medical news for the day:

Study shows phthalate alternative to possibly harm brain development and health

Growing concerns over the potential health effects of exposure to phthalates, a component of many plastics and also known as a plasticizer, have led to a search for safer alternatives. In a new study conducted in cell cultures, researchers found that the chemical acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC) might not be the best replacement because it appears to interfere with the growth and maintenance of neurons.

“In the past, industries have promptly shifted away from the usage of toxic chemicals only to produce an equally toxic chemical, so this is something we are actively trying to avoid repeating,” said Kyle Sease, a graduate student at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington. “Our study suggests that ATBC, but not other non-phthalate alternatives, could interfere with cells that maintain brain health. We think this finding warrants further testing of ATBC at different doses, in different settings and in whole organism models.”

Reference:

AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY MEETINg Discover BMB

Markers of PTSD in the blood identified in study

A new study found that people who are currently suffering or face a high risk of post-traumatic stress disorder show particular patterns in four biomarkers measurable with a simple blood test. The findings suggest these biomarkers could be used to predict a person’s likelihood of developing PTSD, diagnose the disorder or monitor the response to treatment.

PTSD can occur after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. It is currently diagnosed based on symptoms such as flashbacks, difficulty sleeping or concentrating, negative thoughts, memory problems and avoidance of triggering situations. Since other disorders can have some of these same symptoms, it can be challenging to diagnose PTSD and assess changes in response to treatment.

Reference:

AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY MEETING,Discover BMB

Novel probe for labeling macrophages associated with cancer progression using a selective dye

M1 and M2 are activated macrophages that protect our immune system and maintain homeostasis. Interestingly, they are characterized by distinct and opposing phenotypes. M1 macrophages are known for their bactericidal and tumoricidal properties by secreting pro-inflammatory cytokines, while M2 macrophages facilitate immunosuppressive responses and help cancer progression. As such, reprogramming macrophages from M2 to M1 phenotype has been regarded as a significant interest in the view of potential cancer treatment methods. Though it has been challenging to distinguish between living M1 and M2 using fluorescent molecules until now, a research team at POSTECH developed a novel probe, selectively dyeing M2 over M1 for the first time.

The work of the team, comprised of Professor Young-Tae Chang (Department of Chemistry), Professor Nam-Young Kang (Department of Convergence IT Engineering), Professor Haw-Young Kwon, Heewon Cho and Sun Hyeok Lee from the Department of Interdisciplinary Bioscience & Bioengineering at POSTECH, has developed the first M2 selective probe CDg18 with a novel mechanism. The research findings were recently published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Reference:

Development of a fluorescent probe for M2 macrophages via gating-oriented live-cell distinction,Journal of the American Chemical Society,doi 10.1021/jacs.2c11393 

Clinical trial of ENZAMET shows it promising as prostate cancer treatment

A new drug combination for men with advanced prostate cancer has shown sustained increase in survival rates.

The results from the clinical trial of ENZAMET, co-chaired by Professor Christopher Sweeney, Director of the South Australian immunoGENomics Cancer Institute (SAiGENCI) that operates within the University of Adelaide, have been published recently in The Lancet Oncology.

For people with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, the addition of an androgen receptor blocker with enzalutamide to standard therapy – suppression of testosterone, with or without chemotherapy - led to a 67 per cent survival rate after five years.

This compares to 57 per cent of people who were alive after five years after receiving the standard best practice treatment.

Reference:

Testosterone suppression plus enzalutamide versus testosterone suppression plus standard antiandrogen therapy for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (ENZAMET): an international, open-label, randomized, phase 3 trial,The Lancet Oncology,doi 10.1016/S1470-2045(23)00063-3