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Illustration of a woman with depression symptoms overlaid with microscopic view of aging monocytes in blood, linking to study on women with and without HIV.
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Study links monocyte “biological aging” in blood to emotional depression symptoms in women with and without HIV

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A study of 440 participants from the Women’s Interagency HIV Study found that accelerated epigenetic aging in monocytes—an immune cell type—tracked more closely with emotional and cognitive depression symptoms such as hopelessness and loss of pleasure than with physical symptoms like fatigue. The work, published in The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, adds evidence that cell-type-specific aging measures could contribute to future biological tools to complement symptom-based depression screening, though researchers say more validation is needed before clinical use.

Scientists have developed a hybrid obesity treatment that uses GLP-1 and GIP signals to deliver a metabolic enhancer directly into cells. Early tests in mice showed greater weight loss and better blood sugar control than standard therapies. The approach aims to reduce side effects by limiting the drug's action to targeted areas.

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Researchers in Sweden have created insulin-producing cells from human stem cells that reversed diabetes symptoms when transplanted into mice. The cells matured after placement in the eye and maintained glucose regulation for months. The work was published in Stem Cell Reports.

A small clinical trial shows that faecal microbiota transplants can improve outcomes for kidney cancer patients on immunotherapy drugs. Participants receiving transplants experienced longer cancer stability and greater tumor shrinkage compared to those given placebos. The approach targets the gut microbiome to boost immune responses against tumors.

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Where fat is stored in the body—not only how much—is linked to brain structure and cognition, according to a large MRI study of nearly 26,000 UK Biobank participants. Researchers reported that two fat distribution profiles—one marked by high pancreatic fat and another often described as “skinny fat,” with high fat relative to muscle despite a less-obese appearance—were associated with gray-matter loss, faster brain aging and poorer cognitive outcomes.

Researchers in Dresden have discovered that the protein MCL1, known for helping cancer cells evade death, also regulates their energy production through the mTOR pathway. This dual role explains why drugs targeting MCL1 can fight tumors but sometimes harm the heart. The team has developed a dietary approach to mitigate this cardiotoxicity, paving the way for safer therapies.

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Scientists at Scripps Research have revealed how cells activate an emergency DNA repair system when standard pathways fail, a process that some cancer cells rely on for survival. This backup mechanism, known as break-induced replication, is error-prone and could become a target for new cancer therapies. The findings highlight vulnerabilities in tumors with defective SETX protein.

 

 

 

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