Medical Bulletin 31/May/2023

Here are the top medical news for the day:

Excessive salt intake linked to cognitive disorders and high blood pressure

The involvement of angiotensin II (Ang II)-a hormone that plays a key role in regulating blood pressure and fluid balance-and its receptor “AT1”, as well as that of the physiologically important lipid molecule prostaglandin E2 and its receptor “EP1” in hypertension and neurotoxicity is well-recognized. However, the involvement of these systems in HS-mediated hypertension and emotional/cognitive impairment remains elusive.

A recent study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology thoroughly evaluated the aspects of HS-mediated hypertension and emotional/cognitive impairment. According to the published data, the addition of excessive phosphates to the protein “tau” is primarily responsible for this emotional and cognitive consequences. The findings are particularly noteworthy because tau is a key protein of the Alzheimer's disease.

Reference:

High salt induces cognitive impairment via the interaction of angiotensin II-AT1 and prostaglandin E2-EP1 systems,British Journal of Pharmacology,DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.16093

Low-flavanol diet leads to age-related memory loss

A large-scale study led by researchers at Columbia and Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard is the first to establish that a diet low in flavanols-nutrients found in certain fruits and vegetables—drives age-related memory loss. The study found that flavanol intake among older adults tracks with scores on tests designed to detect memory loss due to normal aging and that replenishing these bioactive dietary components in mildly flavanol-deficient adults over age 60 improves performance on these tests.

More than 3,500 healthy older adults were randomly assigned to receive a daily flavanol supplement (in pill form) or placebo pill for three years. The active supplement contained 500 mg of flavanols, including 80 mg epicatechins, an amount that adults are advised to get from food. Memory scores improved only slightly for the entire group taking the daily flavanol supplement, most of whom were already eating a healthy diet with plenty of flavanols.

Reference:

“Dietary flavanols restore hippocampal-dependent memory in older adults with lower diet quality and habitual flavanol consumption,” was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

SRC-3 gene elimination in immune cells triggers effective long-lasting anti-cancer response

Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, recent study shows that in animal models of breast and prostate cancer, eliminating the gene SRC-3, specifically in a type of immune cell called regulatory T cells (Tregs), triggered a lifelong anti-cancer response that eradicated the tumor without the typical side effects observed with other therapies. Furthermore, transferring Tregs without SRC-3 to animals carrying breast cancer tumors also resulted in long-term elimination of the tumor without negative side effects.

SRC-3 is not only highly expressed in all human cancers and plays a role in cancer growth, but it is also strongly expressed in Tregs that regulate the immune response to cancer. Intrigued by the abundance of SRC-3 in Tregs and suspecting that it might play a role in controlling cancer progression.The research team generated mice lacking the SRC-3 gene only in Tregs (SRC-3 knock-out) and then compared breast cancer progression in these mice with the progression in mice that had the SRC-3 gene.

Reference:

Steroid receptor coactivator‑3 inhibition generates breast cancer antitumor immune microenvironment,Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,DOI 10.1073/pnas.2221707120,https://www.bcm.edu/news/ 

Bile acid receptor could be innovative target in premature newborns’ vision protection

Medical College of Georgia scientists have early evidence that targeting farnesoid-X-receptor, or FXR, a bile acid receptor could provide earlier, more impactful treatments for these babies, a process that could be expedited by the fact that the drugs they are studying already are used in people. A small fraction of premature babies develop retinopathy of prematurity, a leading cause of childhood blindness, which at its most severe can lead to formation of leaky blood vessels that further obstruct rather than improve vision and retinal detachment.

Key to normal blood vessel development are astrocytes, normally supportive star-shaped cells. But in the stressful environment that can come with premature birth, these essential astrocytes may essentially self-destruct, or apoptose, and begin to send the wrong message to endothelial cells.

Reference:

MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA AT AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY, MENAKA C. THOUNAOJAM et al.