A protein made by cancer cells seems to break down the hallmark plaques of Alzheimer’s disease. Plus, our breath might reveal what’s going on in our gut and the controversy surrounding a US-funded hepatitis B vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau.
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Exhaled breath can have hundreds of different compounds in it, some of which could have diagnostic potential.Credit: Getty
The chemicals found in a person’s breath might reveal the identity of the microbes in their gut. Researchers measured the levels of bacterial metabolites in the exhaled breath of mice and children and showed that they could be used to partially predict the identity and abundance of certain gut bacteria, including one species that is associated with asthma. The findings could lead to devices that help to guide treatment of conditions influenced by gut bacteria more quickly than existing methods that test stool samples.
Nature | 4 min read
Reference: Cell Metabolism paper
Cystatin C, a protein produced by cancer cells, could partially explain why people who have had cancer have a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease. In a study in mice, researchers found that the protein can infiltrate the brain and bind to the molecules that make up the hallmark brain plaques of Alzheimer’s disease. This interaction draws the attention of immune cells, which then degrade the plaques. If confirmed in humans, the findings could suggest a path toward new therapies for Alzheimer’s, says cancer researcher Jeanne Mandelblatt.
Nature | 5 min read
Reference: Cell paper
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