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Associated Press
a day ago
- Health
- Associated Press
Study Uncovers How Immune Cells Contribute to Failed Bone Healing After Muscle-Bone Trauma
Using an integrated multi-tissue dataset, researchers identified two myeloid cell populations and marker genes driving immune dysregulation in polytrauma CHENGDU, SICHUAN, CHINA, July 21, 2025 / / -- Gaining insights into the complex pathways and key cell populations involved in immune dysregulation can aid the development of therapeutic approaches to treat polytrauma, which is associated with poor patient outcomes. In a new study, researchers from the USA have utilized advanced genetic analysis tools and techniques to reveal the cellular and molecular processes involved in polytrauma-induced immune dysregulation. Their findings advance our current knowledge on polytrauma and indicate actionable targets to treat immune dysregulation. Polytrauma, which involves multiple serious injuries occurring simultaneously, is associated with complex healing challenges. In such cases, bone regeneration is often compromised, accompanied by widespread immune system dysregulation. These effects may not surface immediately, but they commonly emerge later in recovery, contributing to increased treatment burden and poorer long-term outcomes. While the immune system plays a crucial role in healing, its dysfunction in polytrauma remains poorly understood. Previous studies have explored immune activity either at the injury site or within systemic tissues like blood and bone marrow. However, an integrated analysis of both local and systemic immune responses is essential to fully understand how immune dysregulation impairs recovery. To address this gap, a team of researchers led by Professor Krishnendu Roy, Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Dean of Engineering at Vanderbilt University, conducted a comprehensive study using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). The research team, based at the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, collaborated with Professor Robert Guldberg from the Department of Bioengineering and Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact at the University of Oregon. This work was supported by a National Institutes of Health grant (R01AR074960). Their findings were published online in Bone Research on 07 July, 2025. 'Previously, our research group had developed a preclinical rat model of polytrauma that could mimic severe musculoskeletal trauma along with the associated local and systemic immune responses. In this study, we utilized cells from the polytrauma rat model and subjected them to scRNA-seq analysis to comprehensively assess the cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive immune dysregulation in polytrauma', says Prof. Roy, sharing further details about the study. The team combined scRNA-seq with differential gene expression (DEG) analysis, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), and the CellChat tool to identify the key immune cells involved. Their analysis revealed a prominent role of myeloid cells—a type of white blood cell—in shaping immune responses across the blood, bone marrow, and injured tissue. Building on their previous findings linking systemic immunosuppressive myeloid cells with poor bone healing outcomes, the researchers sub-clustered the blood polytrauma myeloid cells into five distinct groups to identify those expressing immunosuppressive genes such as interleukins-4 (IL-4), IL-13, and IL-10. The clusters expressing these immunosuppressive genes were designated as trauma immunosuppressive myeloid (TIM) cells. Further DEG analysis revealed that TIM cells from polytrauma patients significantly expressed additional immunosuppressive genes, including annexin A1 (Anxa1) and nitric oxide synthase 2 (Nos2). To decipher the pathways used by TIM cells to communicate with other myeloid cells, the team assessed ligand-receptor interactions using CellChat tool. Their analysis revealed that TIM cells were dependent on chemokine pathway involving Ccl6-Ccr1 and immunosuppressive Anxa1-Fpr2 mechanisms to communicate with other cells in polytrauma blood. In the local injury site tissue affected during polytrauma, mono/mac cells demonstrated increased expression of pro-inflammatory genes including secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1), fibronectin 1 (FN1), and Anxa2. Interestingly, the mono/mac cells showed reduced expression of tissue repair genes following polytrauma. By utilizing an integrated all-tissue dataset, the research team further discovered 15 closely connected hub genes which could potentially regulate polytrauma-induced immune dysregulation. The altered communication patterns in polytrauma reveal the critical role of myeloid cell interactions, with TIM cells involved in immune suppression while mono/mac cells drive inflammatory pathways. Future studies can build on our findings to develop targeted strategies to modulate immune responses, reduce complications, and ultimately improve clinical outcomes in patients with polytrauma. Towards that goal, a multi-site clinical study to risk stratify patients with open tibial fractures has been initiated by Prof. Guldberg and colleagues. In summary, this study not only advances our current understanding of complex immune interactions following polytrauma but also provides actionable targets for therapeutic intervention. *** Reference Title of original paper: Single-cell transcriptomic analysis identifies systemic immunosuppressive myeloid cells and local monocytes/macrophages as key regulators in polytrauma-induced immune Dysregulation Journal: Bone Research DOI: 10.1038/s41413-025-00444-x Yini Bao West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University +86 2885546461 [email protected] Visit us on social media: X Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
This Popular Morning Habit Could Spike Your Blood Pressure—Here's What a Cardiologist Wants You To Know
This Popular Morning Habit Could Spike Your Blood Pressure—Here's What a Cardiologist Wants You To Know originally appeared on Parade. If one of your health goals is supporting your cardiovascular health—and it should be!—you likely know how important it is to maintain healthy blood pressure levels. Having high blood pressure can have serious health ramifications: People with high blood pressure are more likely to have a heart attack, stroke or kidney damage. Yikes. With this in mind, it can be alarming to learn that one extremely common morning habit—one 66% of Americans have—can cause blood pressure to spike. Here, a cardiologist explains why it happens. But remember, health isn't one-size-fits-all, so what is a health hazard for some might not be a health hazard for you. Read on to find out whether or not this popular habit is one you should be worried about. 🩺SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week💊 The Common Morning Habit That Increases Blood Pressure According to scientific research, drinking coffee can temporarily cause blood pressure to rise. 'Caffeine is known to cause acute, short-term blood pressure increases of up to 10 mmHg within 30 minutes of consumption,' says Dr. Yasmine Ali, MD, a cardiologist and assistant clinical professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Ali explains that the increase in blood pressure depends on the amount of caffeine; if there isn't much caffeine in the coffee (or it's decaf), it won't cause as much of a spike, if any. She says that the reason why caffeinated coffee can temporarily increase blood pressure is that the caffeine stimulates the sympathetic nervous system and causes arteries to momentarily stiffen. Related: If you have hypertension or are making a conscious effort to support your blood pressure through your diet, this may be distressing news. Does it mean you should forgo your daily cup of coffee? Not necessarily. 'For most people, an acute rise in blood pressure from coffee isn't concerning,' Dr. Ali says. However, she explains that people with severe or poorly controlled hypertension need to be more cautious, adding, 'The increase in blood pressure may be associated in the long term with increased risk of cardiovascular mortality, and these individuals should always seek the advice of their personal physician regarding whether or not drinking coffee is safe, and if so, how much is safe for them. For instance, their physician may suggest that they monitor their blood pressure at home after drinking a cup of coffee to see how much it is really affecting them." Related: Is Coffee Good for Heart Health? Knowing that coffee can temporarily raise blood pressure, it's natural to wonder if drinking it is good for heart health. Good news, coffee drinkers: As long as your coffee consumption is moderate, there's no need to forgo your morning cup of joe. 'The US Dietary Guidelines suggest that up to 400 mg of caffeine per day—about three to four cups of coffee—is generally safe for healthy adults,' Dr. Ali says. In fact, she stresses that starting your day with a cup of coffee is actually beneficial for heart health long term, sharing, 'A 2025 study found that people who drink coffee in the morning have a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and lower overall mortality risk compared to all-day coffee drinkers, with morning coffee drinkers being 16% less likely to die of any cause and 31% less likely to die of cardiovascular disease." Related: Additionally, Dr. Ali points to recent studies that have shown how regular coffee consumption is associated with a decreased risk of developing hypertension, heart failure and atrial fibrillation. Dr. Ali says that people who drink coffee or tea every day are at lower risk for getting heart disease, and she herself enjoys both types of beverages each day. With all of this in mind, the temporary spike in blood pressure that coffee can cause is not something most people have to worry about. However, if you do have hypertension, it's worth it to talk to your doctor or a cardiologist about your own personal risk factors. And if you are worried about how coffee is impacting your heart, there's always decaf! Next Up:Sources Dr. Yasmine Ali, MD, cardiologist and assistant clinical professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Overview: high blood pressure. National Library of Medicine More Americans drink coffee each day than any other beverage, bottled water in second place. National Coffee Association Coffee Consumption and Blood Pressure: Results of the Second Wave of Cognition in Older People, Education, Recreational Activities, Nutrition, Comorbidities, and Functional Capacity Studies (COPERNICUS). Nutrients. 2021 Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much? U.S. Food and Drug Administration Coffee drinking timing and mortality in US Heart Journal. 2025 Coffee and Arterial Hypertension Reports. 2021 This Popular Morning Habit Could Spike Your Blood Pressure—Here's What a Cardiologist Wants You To Know first appeared on Parade on Jul 19, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Researchers try new ways of preserving more hearts for transplants
WASHINGTON (AP) — Two university hospitals are pioneering new ways to expand lifesaving heart transplants for adults and babies — advances that could help recover would-be heart donations that too often go unused. The new research aims to overcome barriers for using organs from someone who dies when their heart stops. Called DCD, or donation after circulatory death, it involves a controversial recovery technique or the use of expensive machines. Surgeons at Duke and Vanderbilt universities reported Wednesday that they've separately devised simpler approaches to retrieve those hearts. In the New England Journal of Medicine, they described successfully transplanting hearts to a 3-month-old infant at Duke and three men at Vanderbilt. 'These DCD hearts work just as well as hearts from brain-dead donors,' said Vanderbilt lead author Dr. Aaron M. Williams. How hearts are saved for donation Most transplanted hearts come from donors who are brain dead. In those situations, the body is left on a ventilator that keeps the heart beating until the organs are removed. Circulatory death occurs when someone has a nonsurvivable brain injury but because all brain function hasn't ceased, the family decides to withdraw life support and the heart stops. That means organs can spend a while without oxygen before being recovered, a time lag usually doable for kidneys and other organs but that can raise questions about the quality of hearts. To counter damage and determine whether DCD organs are usable, surgeons can pump blood and oxygen to the deceased donor's abdominal and chest organs — after clamping off access to the brain. But it's ethically controversial to artificially restore circulation even temporarily and some hospitals prohibit that technique, called normothermic regional perfusion, or NRP. Another option is to 'reanimate' DCD organs in a machine that pumps blood and nutrients on the way to the transplant hospital. The machines are expensive and complex, and Duke's Dr. Joseph Turek said the devices can't be used for young children's small hearts — the age group with the most dire need. New ways of preserving hearts Turek's team found a middle ground: Remove the heart and attach some tubes of oxygen and blood to briefly assess its ability to function — not in a machine but on a sterile table in the operating room. They practiced with piglets. Then came the real test. At another hospital, life support was about to be withdrawn from a 1-month-old whose family wanted to donate — and who would be a good match for a 3-month-old Duke patient in desperate need of a new heart. The other hospital didn't allow the controversial NRP recovery technique but let Turek's team test the experimental alternative. It took just five minutes to tell 'the coronary arteries are filling well, it's pink, it's beating,' Turek said. The team promptly put the little heart on ice and raced it back to Duke. Vanderbilt's system is even simpler: Infuse the heart with a nutrient-rich, cold preservative solution before removing it from the donor's body, similar to how hearts from brain-dead donors are handled. That 'replenishes the nutrients that are depleted during the dying process and helps protect it for transport,' Williams explained, adding that Vanderbilt has performed about 25 such transplants so far. 'Our view is you don't necessarily need to reanimate the heart.' More donated hearts are needed There's a huge need for more transplantable hearts. Hundreds of thousands of adults suffer from advanced heart failure, yet many are never even offered a transplant because of the organ shortage. Every year about 700 children in the U.S. are added to the transplant list for a new heart and about 20% die waiting. Turek said infants are at particular risk. Last year, people whose lives ended via circulatory death made up 43% of the nation's deceased donors — but just 793 of the 4,572 heart transplants. That's why many specialists say finding ways to use more of those hearts is crucial. The new studies are small and early-stage but promising, said Brendan Parent of NYU Langone Health, who directs transplant ethics and policy research. 'Innovation to find ways to recover organs successfully after circulatory death are essential for reducing the organ shortage,' he said. If alternatives pan out, 'I absolutely think that cardiac programs will be thrilled, especially at hospitals that have rejected NRP.' ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Solve the daily Crossword
The Independent
6 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Researchers try new ways of preserving more hearts for transplants
Two university hospitals are pioneering new ways to expand lifesaving heart transplants for adults and babies — advances that could help recover would-be heart donations that too often go unused. The new research aims to overcome barriers for using organs from someone who dies when their heart stops. Called DCD, or donation after circulatory death, it involves a controversial recovery technique or the use of expensive machines. Surgeons at Duke and Vanderbilt universities reported Wednesday that they've separately devised simpler approaches to retrieve those hearts. In the New England Journal of Medicine, they described successfully transplanting hearts to a 3-month-old infant at Duke and three men at Vanderbilt. 'These DCD hearts work just as well as hearts from brain-dead donors,' said Vanderbilt lead author Dr. Aaron M. Williams. How hearts are saved for donation Most transplanted hearts come from donors who are brain dead. In those situations, the body is left on a ventilator that keeps the heart beating until the organs are removed. Circulatory death occurs when someone has a nonsurvivable brain injury but because all brain function hasn't ceased, the family decides to withdraw life support and the heart stops. That means organs can spend a while without oxygen before being recovered, a time lag usually doable for kidneys and other organs but that can raise questions about the quality of hearts. To counter damage and determine whether DCD organs are usable, surgeons can pump blood and oxygen to the deceased donor's abdominal and chest organs — after clamping off access to the brain. But it's ethically controversial to artificially restore circulation even temporarily and some hospitals prohibit that technique, called normothermic regional perfusion, or NRP. Another option is to 'reanimate' DCD organs in a machine that pumps blood and nutrients on the way to the transplant hospital. The machines are expensive and complex, and Duke's Dr. Joseph Turek said the devices can't be used for young children's small hearts — the age group with the most dire need. New ways of preserving hearts Turek's team found a middle ground: Remove the heart and attach some tubes of oxygen and blood to briefly assess its ability to function — not in a machine but on a sterile table in the operating room. They practiced with piglets. Then came the real test. At another hospital, life support was about to be withdrawn from a 1-month-old whose family wanted to donate — and who would be a good match for a 3-month-old Duke patient in desperate need of a new heart. The other hospital didn't allow the controversial NRP recovery technique but let Turek's team test the experimental alternative. It took just five minutes to tell 'the coronary arteries are filling well, it's pink, it's beating,' Turek said. The team promptly put the little heart on ice and raced it back to Duke. Vanderbilt's system is even simpler: Infuse the heart with a nutrient-rich, cold preservative solution before removing it from the donor's body, similar to how hearts from brain-dead donors are handled. That 'replenishes the nutrients that are depleted during the dying process and helps protect it for transport,' Williams explained, adding that Vanderbilt has performed about 25 such transplants so far. 'Our view is you don't necessarily need to reanimate the heart.' More donated hearts are needed There's a huge need for more transplantable hearts. Hundreds of thousands of adults suffer from advanced heart failure, yet many are never even offered a transplant because of the organ shortage. Every year about 700 children in the U.S. are added to the transplant list for a new heart and about 20% die waiting. Turek said infants are at particular risk. Last year, people whose lives ended via circulatory death made up 43% of the nation's deceased donors — but just 793 of the 4,572 heart transplants. That's why many specialists say finding ways to use more of those hearts is crucial. The new studies are small and early-stage but promising, said Brendan Parent of NYU Langone Health, who directs transplant ethics and policy research. ' Innovation to find ways to recover organs successfully after circulatory death are essential for reducing the organ shortage,' he said. If alternatives pan out, 'I absolutely think that cardiac programs will be thrilled, especially at hospitals that have rejected NRP.' ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Associated Press
6 days ago
- Health
- Associated Press
Researchers try new ways of preserving more hearts for transplants
WASHINGTON (AP) — Two university hospitals are pioneering new ways to expand lifesaving heart transplants for adults and babies — advances that could help recover would-be heart donations that too often go unused. The new research aims to overcome barriers for using organs from someone who dies when their heart stops. Called DCD, or donation after circulatory death, it involves a controversial recovery technique or the use of expensive machines. Surgeons at Duke and Vanderbilt universities reported Wednesday that they've separately devised simpler approaches to retrieve those hearts. In the New England Journal of Medicine, they described successfully transplanting hearts to a 3-month-old infant at Duke and three men at Vanderbilt. 'These DCD hearts work just as well as hearts from brain-dead donors,' said Vanderbilt lead author Dr. Aaron M. Williams. How hearts are saved for donation Most transplanted hearts come from donors who are brain dead. In those situations, the body is left on a ventilator that keeps the heart beating until the organs are removed. Circulatory death occurs when someone has a nonsurvivable brain injury but because all brain function hasn't ceased, the family decides to withdraw life support and the heart stops. That means organs can spend a while without oxygen before being recovered, a time lag usually doable for kidneys and other organs but that can raise questions about the quality of hearts. To counter damage and determine whether DCD organs are usable, surgeons can pump blood and oxygen to the deceased donor's abdominal and chest organs — after clamping off access to the brain. But it's ethically controversial to artificially restore circulation even temporarily and some hospitals prohibit that technique, called normothermic regional perfusion, or NRP. Another option is to 'reanimate' DCD organs in a machine that pumps blood and nutrients on the way to the transplant hospital. The machines are expensive and complex, and Duke's Dr. Joseph Turek said the devices can't be used for young children's small hearts — the age group with the most dire need. New ways of preserving hearts Turek's team found a middle ground: Remove the heart and attach some tubes of oxygen and blood to briefly assess its ability to function — not in a machine but on a sterile table in the operating room. They practiced with piglets. Then came the real test. At another hospital, life support was about to be withdrawn from a 1-month-old whose family wanted to donate — and who would be a good match for a 3-month-old Duke patient in desperate need of a new heart. The other hospital didn't allow the controversial NRP recovery technique but let Turek's team test the experimental alternative. It took just five minutes to tell 'the coronary arteries are filling well, it's pink, it's beating,' Turek said. The team promptly put the little heart on ice and raced it back to Duke. Vanderbilt's system is even simpler: Infuse the heart with a nutrient-rich, cold preservative solution before removing it from the donor's body, similar to how hearts from brain-dead donors are handled. That 'replenishes the nutrients that are depleted during the dying process and helps protect it for transport,' Williams explained, adding that Vanderbilt has performed about 25 such transplants so far. 'Our view is you don't necessarily need to reanimate the heart.' More donated hearts are needed There's a huge need for more transplantable hearts. Hundreds of thousands of adults suffer from advanced heart failure, yet many are never even offered a transplant because of the organ shortage. Every year about 700 children in the U.S. are added to the transplant list for a new heart and about 20% die waiting. Turek said infants are at particular risk. Last year, people whose lives ended via circulatory death made up 43% of the nation's deceased donors — but just 793 of the 4,572 heart transplants. That's why many specialists say finding ways to use more of those hearts is crucial. The new studies are small and early-stage but promising, said Brendan Parent of NYU Langone Health, who directs transplant ethics and policy research. 'Innovation to find ways to recover organs successfully after circulatory death are essential for reducing the organ shortage,' he said. If alternatives pan out, 'I absolutely think that cardiac programs will be thrilled, especially at hospitals that have rejected NRP.' ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
