Latest news with #NatureBiomedicalEngineering
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Tardigrades may hold clues to cancer care, study finds
The Brief A protein from tardigrades, called Dsup, may shield healthy cells from radiation damage Scientists used nanoparticles to deliver mRNA instructions for producing Dsup in mice Treated cells showed less DNA breakage and no signs of protecting nearby tumor tissue LOS ANGELES - Radiation therapy is a vital treatment for many cancer patients, but it often comes with severe side effects, especially when healthy tissues are damaged in the process. For patients with head and neck or prostate cancer, radiation can inflame oral tissue or harm the rectum, making recovery especially difficult. Now, scientists are turning to a surprising source for help: tardigrades — tiny, resilient animals known for surviving extreme environments, including radiation levels that would be lethal to most organisms. The backstory The research, supported by the National Institutes of Health, centers around a tardigrade protein called Dsup, short for "damage suppressor." This protein binds to DNA and helps prevent it from breaking — a key cause of side effects in radiation therapy. In a study published February 26 in Nature Biomedical Engineering, researchers from MIT and the University of Iowa explored whether Dsup could be used to protect healthy human tissues. They developed nanoparticles that delivered messenger RNA (mRNA) instructions to produce Dsup in targeted cells. In experiments on mice, Dsup production peaked around six hours after injection and faded after a few days. When healthy tissue was exposed to radiation similar to cancer treatment levels, mice treated with the Dsup-encoded nanoparticles had far less DNA damage than untreated ones. Dig deeper One major concern was whether Dsup might unintentionally shield cancer cells. However, researchers found the effects were localized — limited to the area where the nanoparticles were injected — reducing the risk that nearby tumor tissue would also be protected. Still, this is an early-stage study. The findings are promising, but more research is needed to refine the approach and explore whether it can be used safely and effectively in human patients. What they're saying "Radiation is an important tool for treating all kinds of cancer, but the side effects caused by radiation-induced damage to healthy tissue can be severe enough to stop patients from completing the therapy," Dr. James Byrne of the University of Iowa told the NIH. "This is an entirely novel approach for protecting healthy tissue and may eventually offer a way to optimize radiation therapy for patients while minimizing these debilitating side effects," Byrne added. The Source This report is based on findings published February 26, 2025, in Nature Biomedical Engineering by researchers from MIT and the University of Iowa, with support from the National Institutes of Health. The study focused on the Dsup protein found in tardigrades and its use in protecting healthy tissue from radiation damage using mRNA-loaded nanoparticles in mice. All experimental outcomes, quotes, and background are sourced directly from NIH reporting and the original research publication.
South China Morning Post
14-03-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
China-led research creates world's first 3D-printed male sex organ for ED treatment
A Chinese-led study has held out hope for a therapeutic solution to erectile dysfunction (ED) – using advanced biomedical 3D printing to treat the condition in animals in a world first. Advertisement ED affects more than 40 per cent of men aged 40 and above . The team of researchers used hydrogel-based bioinks to develop a 3D-printed penile implant system able to anatomically replicate all functional components of natural erectile tissue. The animal subjects – pigs and rabbits – exhibited restored erectile capacity post-implantation, with reproductive success rates surging from 25 per cent in the control group to 100 per cent in the treatment group, the team said. Details of the landmark study were published in Nature Biomedical Engineering on March 4. 'These findings indicate that the implants markedly improved functional recovery,' wrote lead author Wang Yingjun, who is an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of the National Engineering Research Centre for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction at the South China University of Technology. Advertisement
South China Morning Post
14-03-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Chinese scientists create world's first 3D-printed male sex organ for ED treatment
A therapeutic solution to erectile dysfunction (ED) could soon be available, after groundbreaking advances in biomedical 3D printing by Chinese researchers. Advertisement ED is surprisingly common: it affects more than 40 per cent of men aged 40 and above . Now, a team of researchers has used hydrogel-based bioinks to develop a 3D-printed penile implant system which anatomically replicates all functional components of natural erectile tissue. During testing, all animal models (pigs and rabbits) exhibited restored erectile capacity post-implantation, with reproductive success rates surging from 25 per cent in controls to 100 per cent in the treatment group. Details of the landmark study were published in Nature Biomedical Engineering on March 4. 'These findings indicate that the implants markedly improved functional recovery,' wrote lead author Wang Yingjun, who is an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of the National Engineering Research Centre for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction at the South China University of Technology. Advertisement The penis has the most complex vascular network of all human organs. It comprises arteries, veins, the corpora cavernosa and the tunica albuginea. When the cavernous spaces within the penis fill with blood, it results in an erection.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists Propose Injecting Astronauts With Tardigrade RNA After Finding It Prevents Radiation Damage
Scientists have discovered a wild treatment that they say could protect astronauts from the copious amounts of space radiation they'd be exposed to during trips into deep space. In an effort to find new ways to protect cancer patients from the many side effects of radiation therapy, a group of researchers found that a protein from tardigrades — tiny, practically indestructible "water bears" that have been known to survive the hostile vacuum of space — may be the answer. The protein was previously identified as helping tardigrades survive some of the most extreme conditions on Earth — and yes, even space. Now, a team led by Harvard Medical School instructor and MIT visiting scientist Ameya Kirtane used messenger RNA encoding to inject the protein into mice. As detailed in a paper published this week in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering, the team found that their technique generated sufficient protein to protect the mice's DNA from radiation-induced damage. The same method, they hope, could eventually be used in human cancer patients. "Radiation can be very helpful for many tumors, but we also recognize that the side effects can be limiting," MIT associate professor of mechanical engineering Giovanni Traverso in a statement. "There's an unmet need with respect to helping patients mitigate the risk of damaging adjacent tissue." The side effects of radiation treatment can be brutal, from mouth sores to rectal bleeding. Scientists have come up with drugs that reduce this damage, but only to a degree. In search for a better option, the researchers drew inspiration from tardigrades and their incredible survival ability. A suppressor protein, dubbed Dsup, helps to protect the tardigrades' DNA from radiation-induced damage by binding to it. According to MIT, this protein allows the tiny creatures to survive doses 2,000 to 3,000 times higher than what humans can tolerate. By delivering this protein through messenger RNA encoding, the team found that the Dsup protein was expressed successfully in the colon and mouth tissues in mice, two areas that are susceptible to radiation-induced damage in human cancer patients. "One of the strengths of our approach is that we are using a messenger RNA, which just temporarily expresses the protein, so it's considered far safer than something like DNA, which may be incorporated into the cells' genome," Kirtane explained. Apart from helping cancer patients during radiation therapy, the researchers suggest it could also help patients receiving chemotherapy. It could even help astronauts from suffering radiation damage, since long voyages through space, such as a trip to Mars, would expose future space travelers to dangerous levels of cosmic radiation. "Another possible application would be to help prevent radiation damage in astronauts in space," MIT enthused in the statement. More on tardigrades: Scientists Propose Sending Small Creatures to Neighboring Star Systems
