TOP MEDICAL NEWS 25/JULY/2022

Cancer cells produce small amounts of their own form of collagen, creating a unique extracellular matrix that affects the tumor microbiome and protects against immune responses, according to a new study by researchers. This abnormal collagen structure is fundamentally different from normal collagen made in the human body, providing a highly specific target for therapeutic strategies.

This study, published in Cancer Cell, builds upon previously published findings from the chair of Cancer Biology to bring a new understanding of the unique roles of collagen made by fibroblasts and by cancer cells.

Reference: "Cancer cells make a unique form of collagen, protecting them from immune response"; Cancer Cell.

2. Trauma of diagnosis stays with eye disease patients

A research team interviewed patients of a range of ages who had been diagnosed with eye disease in England over the course of several decades and assessed the psychological impact of the way their diagnosis was communicated. The study is published in BMJ Journal.

Interviewees had been diagnosed with a variety of conditions, including diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, Stargardt disease, and retinitis pigmentosa, all of which can cause significant vision loss.

The interviews showed four themes; the convoluted process of being diagnosed; the impact of clinicians' words; the search for information; and reflections on what could be improved.

Reference: "Trauma of diagnosis stays with eye disease patients"; ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY, BMJ Open. DOI:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-059970.

3.Women are urged to eat potassium-rich foods to improve their heart health

Women who eat bananas, avocados, and salmon could reduce the negative effects of salt in their diet, according to a study published today in the European Heart Journal, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). The study found that potassium-rich diets were associated with lower blood pressure, particularly in women with high salt intake.

The study included 24,963 participants (11,267 men and 13,696 women) of the EPIC-Norfolk study, which recruited 40 to 79-year-olds from general practices in Norfolk, UK, between 1993 and 1997. The average age was 59 years for men and 58 years for women. Participants completed a questionnaire on lifestyle habits, blood pressure was measured, and a urine sample was collected. Urinary sodium and potassium were used to estimate dietary intake. Participants were divided into tertiles according to sodium intake (low/medium/high) and potassium intake (low/medium/high).

Reference: "Women urged to eat potassium-rich foods to improve their heart health"; EUROPEAN SOCIETY OF CARDIOLOGY, European Heart Journal. DOI- 10.1093/eurheartj/ehac313.

4. Potential target for Type 1 diabetes treatment

A world-first study by Monash University, in Melbourne, Australia have discovered a pathway to the regeneration of insulin in pancreatic stem cells, a major breakthrough toward new therapies to treat Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Using the pancreas stem cells of type 1 diabetic donors, researchers were able to effectively reactivate them to become insulin-expressing and functionally resemble beta-like cells through the use of a drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration but not currently licensed for diabetes treatment.

Reference: Nature journal, Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy titled: Inhibition of pancreatic EZH2 restores progenitor insulin in T1D donor; DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01034-7.