V(D)J Recombination "By-products" Can Self-replicate and Trigger Leukemia Relapse

Sun, 2025/09/07

V(D)J Recombination "By-products" Can Self-replicate and Trigger Leukemia Relapse

This landmark study offers a new paradigm for understanding leukemia relapse. It elevates a long-neglected cellular by-product—the excised signal circle (ESC)—from a "harmless bystander" to a "central culprit." In the prolonged battle against cancer, "relapse" is a heart-wrenching term. For pediatric patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), despite modern medicine being able to cure most initial cases, around 15-20% of children still relapse post-treatment. These relapsed leukemia cells are often more aggressive and have developed resistance to chemotherapy. What secrets l
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Highlights from Cell Journal July 2025 (II)

Sun, 2025/09/07

Highlights from Cell Journal July 2025 (II)

Groundbreaking Breakthrough! A Single Injection Alters Brain DNA, Offering Hope to Mice with Rare Neurological Diseases DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.06.038 In the field of gene therapy, a result that could shake the academic community and patients alike has recently emerged. A team of elite researchers from the Jackson Laboratory (JAX), the Broad Institute, and the nonprofit RARE Hope collaborated to achieve a landmark medical exploration—directly editing DNA in the brains of mice through a single injection, successfully correcting the genetic mutation that leads to an ultra-rare disease. T
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Highlights from Cell Journal July 2025 (I)

Sun, 2025/09/07

Highlights from Cell Journal July 2025 (I)

What makes the human brain unique? Cell: New study identifies two genes associated with human brain traits DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.06.037 What makes the human brain stand out? A new study published in Cell has identified two genes linked to human brain traits and offers a roadmap for discovering more such genes. This research could help in understanding the functions and evolution of the human brain, as well as the roots of language disorders and autism. Dennis and his colleagues used the telomere-to-telomere human genome to identify duplicated genes. They then filtered these based on sequen
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Guidelines for Designing Protein Transformers

Sun, 2025/09/07

Guidelines for Designing Protein Transformers

Researchers have developed an artificial intelligence model named ProDomino. By "learning" from nature's evolutionary wisdom, it can accurately predict the optimal "modification sites" on protein molecules. Proteins are the cornerstone of life, acting as tireless nano-sized molecular machines. Some are responsible for catalyzing biochemical reactions, others for transmitting signals, while some provide the framework for our bodies. However, these natural molecular machines do not always fully meet our needs. In the era of synthetic biology and precision medicine, we aspire to control these mac
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Glucose Helps Recharge Anti-Cancer T Cells

Sun, 2025/09/07

Glucose Helps Recharge Anti-Cancer T Cells

Glycosphingolipid Synthesis is the Key! This study clarifies for the first time that glucose-dependent glycosphingolipid synthesis serves as a "metabolic checkpoint" for CD8⁺ T cells to exert their anti-cancer functions. When this pathway is blocked, T cells face the dilemma of being "armed but without ammunition"—able to infiltrate tumors yet incapable of effectively killing cancer cells. Fig1. Graphical abstract The rise of tumor immunotherapy has brought new hope to cancer patients, but most still face the challenge of insufficient efficacy. Among them, CD8⁺ T cells, as the "main fo
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Unveiling the Activation Mechanism of Steroid Hormone Receptors Through Structural Proteomics

Sat, 2025/08/23

Unveiling the Activation Mechanism of Steroid Hormone Receptors Through Structural Proteomics

This new study provides the first detailed revelation of the structure of this steroid hormone receptor complex. Imagine a drug that could block cancer without side effects or risks. This future might be closer due to a new study led by Dr. Raj Kumar, the Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Toledo College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. The findings are published in the journal Nature Communications. The Kumar laboratory has been focused on studying steroid hormone receptors (SHRs), which are among the most frequently targeted protein
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Dual Payload ADCs-Ushering in a New Wave

Sat, 2025/08/23

Dual Payload ADCs-Ushering in a New Wave

Dual Payload ADCs aim to enhance drug activity, produce synergistic effects, improve therapeutic efficacy, expand indications, and overcome resistance challenges by simultaneously attaching two payloads with different mechanisms (or different linker forms of the same payload) to a single antibody, allowing flexible modulation of the total drug-to-antibody ratio (DAR). Currently, two dual payload ADCs have entered clinical trials for cancer treatment, with dozens of candidates in preclinical development. The activity in this field is evident from the dynamic financing landscape: Startup Callio
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Clinical research highlights in the second half of 2025: Eli Lilly, Sanofi, Akeso, Roche, etc.

Sat, 2025/08/23

Clinical research highlights in the second half of 2025: Eli Lilly, Sanofi, Akeso, Roche, etc.

In the second half of 2025, several pivotal clinical research results are set to be announced, which may redefine treatment paradigms: from Eli Lilly's GLP-1 small molecule orforglipron, potentially reshaping the oral weight loss market, to Sanofi's immune up-and-comer amlitelimab, taking up the baton from Dupixent; from Akeso's challenge to PD-1 giant Keytruda's OS finale, to Roche's efforts to overcome BTK inhibitor challenges in multiple sclerosis research... These studies not only pertain to the rise and fall of major pharmaceutical companies' pipelines, stirring market expectations for ne
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