TEACHABLE MEDICAL NEWS

CREATED BY ELEASYS LLC

Category: cellular basis of life Page 2 of 6

Can we really grow blood in a laboratory?

By

On January 28, 2024

In cardiovascular system, cellular basis of life, chemical basis of life

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. cellular basis of life chapter – concept of one gene, one protein
  2. cellular basis of life chapter – concept of gene mutation leading to protein malfunction
  3. cardiovascular system chapter – formation of red blood cells by stem cells in red bone marrow
  4. respiratory system chapter – oxygen transport by hemoglobin in red blood cells

The news item:  Recently the following report appeared online:

Lab-grown blood given to people in world-first clinical trial

It is hoped the blood could revolutionise care for people who need regular donations.

The report described the need for blood transfusion for repeated infusions such as those for sickle cell anemia patients, and the shortage of minor blood types for transfusion. The report briefly described the lifespan of the red blood cells, and the process of growing blood in the lab.

So, Why Do I Care??  Blood transfusion, the administering of blood or red blood cells into the vein of the recipient, is a life saver when the recipient lost lot of blood, or when the red blood cells of the recipient are being damaged because of a disease. As the transfused blood is derived from blood donors who are not always available to donate, the volume of donated blood can be so low as to create a blood shortage.  It would be a great improvement if red blood cells could be “manufactured” on demand.  That would make blood shortages obsolete. In the US 100,000 people suffer from sickle cell anemia.

Plain English, Please!!!  First, let’s talk about why blood transfusion is a lifesaver clinical intervention, in general. We need red blood cells to transport oxygen from the lungs to all organs of our body. When blood loss or damage to red blood cells (like in sickle cell anemia) decrease the number of oxygen transporter cells, the organs do not receive enough oxygen for normal functioning. It’s like a fleet of trucks delivering bread to a store. If the trucks break down, the bread never get’s to the stores, and the functioning of the store will suffer. In this case the red blood cell trucks deliver oxygen to organs of the body. The most noticeable effect of oxygen deficit is on the skeletal muscles (loss of muscle strength) and on the nervous system (fatigue, tiredness). Restoring the number of red blood cells to normal helps to return the functioning of the body to normal. This why most transfusions do not transfuse whole blood, but only red blood cells.

Second, let’s talk about why sickle cell anemia patients need frequent blood transfusions. In sickle cell anemia patients the mutation of the globin protein of hemoglobin causes the red blood cells to change

Read More

Can we use an antibody to strengthen patients’ own immune system to fight childhood soft tissue cancer?

By

On December 18, 2023

In cellular basis of life, lymphatic and immune system, tissues

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. tissue chapter – general characteristics of epithelial and connective tissues
  2. cellular basis of life chapter – proteins in cell membranes can serve as receptors
  3. immune system chapter – CD8-T-cells actively destroy target cells
  4. immune system chapter – antibodies can be engineered to bind to specific targets

The news item:

Recently a newly approved treatment for childhood soft tissue cancer was reported:

Drug Approved to Help Young Patients Battle a Rare Cancer

US News is a recognized leader in college, grad school, hospital, mutual fund, and car rankings. Track elected officials, research health conditions, and find news you can use in politics, business, health, and education.

The article states that the drug Tecentriq was approved for use against alveolar soft part sarcoma (a soft tissue cancer). About 80 children and adults in the USA are diagnosed each year with his sarcoma, and most conventional treatments fail to fight it. The article also states that Tecentriq is an anti-PD-L1 inhibitor, and works by helping the immune system respond more strongly to cancer.

So, Why Do I Care??  While the overall number of cancer patients diagnosed with alveolar soft part sarcoma is low, these patients could not be helped by regular cancer treatments. Finding new cancer treatment approaches for these patients opens the possibility to treat other cancers where traditional cancer treatment failed.

Plain English, Please!!!  First, let’s talk about what a sarcoma is. The sarcoma type of cancers start from connective tissue, as opposed to the carcinoma type of cancers that start from epithelial tissues. The general course of the sarcomas is similar to other cancers, and that includes local growth, and the spreading, metastasizing throughout the body. Alveolar soft part sarcoma was named such, because the cancer cells form baggy, alveolus-looking microscopic structures.

Second, let’s talk about how cancer cells can slow down the immune system. One normal function of our immune system is to detect and destroy cells that show evidence of infection or abnormal components.

Read More

How can a drug like Descovy prevent infection by the human immunodeficiency virus?

By

On September 23, 2023

In cellular basis of life, lymphatic and immune system, microbiology

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. immune system chapter – role of CD4 Helper T cells in adaptive immunity
  2. chemical basis of life – structural characteristics of DNA and RNA
  3. cellular basis of life chapter – transcription of DNA into RNA during protein synthesis
  4. microbiology – structure of the viral protein envelope of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)

The news item:  Recently the following report appeared online:

U.S. FDA approves Gilead’s Descovy for HIV prevention

The approval does not include use of the drug by women to prevent HIV infection. Descovy, a combination drug, was approved in 2016 to treat people already infected with HIV. It contains a newer formulation of a drug used in Gilead’s older medication, Truvada, which has been used to treat people infected with HIV since 2004.

 

The article states that Descovy is a pharmaceutical approved for pre-exposure prophylaxis, the  prevention of HIV infection in men. Descovy was found to be less toxic to the kidneys and bones than  previous drugs used to treat HIV infected people.

So, Why Do I Care??  In the US alone there are over 1 million people living with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection, and each year there are 30,000 – 40,000 new HIV infections. The new infections happen despite the already available preventative measures. Therefore, pharmaceutical prevention of new infections is still important.

Plain English, Please!!! First, let’s talk about how Descovy is expected to prevent infection by HIV in highly exposed individuals. The clinical definition of HIV infection is that the HIV virus should be detectable in human bodily fluids. For HIV virus to appear in the blood or in other bodily fluids, the infected cells must make a swarm of new HIV viruses to spread through the body and enter into the blood and other bodily fluids. The ingredients of Descovy promise to prevent the cells from making new viruses, so there will be no swarm of new HIV viruses, there will not be enough viruses to spread through the body, so HIV viruses never enter bodily fluids. Therefore, even in people frequently exposed to the HIV virus the blood testing doesn’t find any HIV, and the person remains clinically uninfected, remains HIV-negative. This prevention of infection is called “pre-exposure prophylaxis”. An HIV-negative person cannot spread the virus to other people, so the number of new HIV infections are reduced.

Second, let’s talk about the ingredients of Descovy. Both active ingredients (emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide) are inhibitors of the enzyme called reverse transcriptase of the HIV virus. That enzyme is

Read More

How can the genetic engineering treatment of red bone marrow by Zynteglo help beta-thalassemia patients?

By

On August 5, 2023

In cardiovascular system, cellular basis of life

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. cellular basis of life chapter – concept of one gene, one protein
  2. cellular basis of life chapter – concept of gene mutation leading to protein malfunction
  3. cellular basis of life chapter – mRNA translation is needed for protein synthesis
  4. blood chapter – red blood cells are made in the red bone marrow
  5. blood chapter – the role of globin chains in hemoglobin function

The news item:  Recently the following report appeared:

https://timesnewscity.com/bluebirds-2-8m-gene-therapy-becomes-most-expensive-drug-after-us-approval/

The article states that about 1,500 patients need blood transfusion every 2-5 weeks, and that Zynteglo is a gene therapy.

So, Why Do I Care??

The most severe type of beta-thalassemia causes serious anemia with the symptoms of continuous lethargy, fatigue, tiredness. To fight this, the patients require regular blood transfusions. Those patients expected to live until about the age of 50. in the US there are about 1500-3000 such patients. New treatment approaches give the hope of longer life to those patients.

Plain English, Please!!! First, let’s talk about what beta-thalassemia is. This disorder is caused by the missing beta-globin protein in hemoglobin. The protein is missing because the beta-globin gene has mutations that prevent the mRNA formation for beta-globin. The outcome is that hemoglobin is abnormal, because it is formed only from the alpha-globin proteins. Such abnormal hemoglobin makes cells of the red bone marrow to burst, reducing the production of oxygen transporter red blood cells. The decreased oxygen transport cause anemia, the starvation of cells for oxygen.

Second, let’s talk about how red blood cells are made. The damage of the beta-thalassemia is done in the red bone marrow, where red blood cells are formed. In the red bone marrow the red blood cells move

Read More

Can we really diagnose concussion from a blood test?

By

On May 29, 2023

In cardiovascular system, cellular basis of life, nervous system

TeachableMedicalNews article 05292023

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. cellular basis of life chapter – intermediate filaments are part of the cytoskeleton
  2. nervous system chapter – neurons and astrocytes are cells of the nervous system
  3. brain chapter – meninges are protective coverings of the central nervous system
  4. cardiovascular system chapter – reabsorption during capillary exchange brings degraded proteins into blood circulation
  5. brain chapter – cerebrospinal fluid is absorbed into venous sinus

The news item:  Recently the following report appeared online:

https://www.nbc12.com/prnewswire/2023/03/07/abbott-receives-fda-clearance-first-commercially-available-lab-based-blood-test-help-evaluate-concussion/?outputType=amp

The article states that a new blood test is available for patients who are suspected to have suffered concussion because of an impact injury, and that this test may help to find the patients who might need a CT scan for further evaluation. The test works by analyzing two biomarkers.

So, Why Do I Care??  Concussion happens frequently with over 2 million concussions occurring yearly in the USA. Whether it is from a car accident, from a fall, or from a collision at a sporting event, the consequence is impaired brain function. That comes with a price tag of over $40 billion per year medical cost and lost income in the USA.

Plain English, Please!!! First, let’s talk about what concussion is. An injury to the brain from a physical impact is called concussion. The symptoms can be a brief loss of consciousness followed by headache, memory impairment, loss of orientation, loss of cognitive functions, depression. The most dangerous aspects of concussion are the long-lasting effects.

Second, let’s talk about how the brain is injured by mechanical forces. While it is true that the meninges, the membrane-like covering of the brain, provide a moderate level of protection against sudden

Read More

How could the lead contamination in blueberries harm us?

By

On April 5, 2023

In cellular basis of life, endocrine system, nervous system

TeachableMedicalNews article 04052023

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. nervous system chapter – axons and synapses as structures of neurons
  2. nervous system chapter – transmission of a nerve impulse using a chemical synapse
  3. nervous system chapter – formation of myelin sheet along axons
  4. cellular basis of life chapter – zinc-finger proteins in gene regulation
  5. endocrine system chapter – protein kinases are important for cellular actions

The news item:  Recently this report appeared:

Freeze-dried blueberries recalled due to potential lead contamination

The voluntary recall covers packages of organic blueberries sold under the brand name Natierra, with expiration dates of December 2022 and January 2025.

The article states that long term exposure to lead in children may affect the central nervous system causing learning disabilities, developmental defects, and in adults causing damage to the nervous system and internal organs.

So, Why Do I Care??  Long term exposure to lead harms about 500,000 children in the USA alone. The consequences last for decades, and can not be undone. It is good to understand why the metal lead poses such severe consequences.

Plain English, Please!!!  First, let’s talk about how lead (Pb in the periodic table) gets into our bodies. Typically, lead comes into our bodies through eating lead-contaminated food or drinking water, because lead compounds are soluble in water. The heavy metal lead has similar chemical properties to the biologically important metal calcium. Because of that similarity the small intestine readily absorbs lead just as it absorbs calcium.

Second, let’s talk about what biological processes are harmed by lead. Once absorbed into the bloodstream the lead ions take the place of the calcium and zinc ions. Here are a few examples. A. Lead

Read More

How does the antiviral drug Paxlovid fight the Sars-CoV-2 corona virus

By

On March 16, 2023

In cellular basis of life, microbiology, respiratory system

TeachableMedicalNews article 03172023

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. chemical basis of life chapter – proteins can be cut by hydrolysis using proteases
  2. cellular basis of life chapter – transmembrane proteins can serve as receptors
  3. cellular basis of life chapter – RNA is translated into proteins on ribosomes
  4. microbiology – lifecycle of RNA viruses

The news item:  Recently this news appeared online

 

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/jul/23/bidens-health-improving-after-second-day-paxlovid-/

The article states that President Biden received Paxlovid treatment after his diagnosis of COVID infection. The article doesn’t explain anything about Paxlovid itself.

So, Why Do I Care??  At the time of writing this blog post the number of COVID infections numbered 765 million with 6.78 million deaths worldwide.  There is a small number of people (less than 1% of infections) who suffer serious health consequences, and even die because of this virus. Early intervention, such as the use of oral antiviral drugs is a promising way to prevent the development of serious illness.  The way Paxlovid acts may provide a template on how antiviral drugs may treat other virus-borne illnesses.

Plain English, Please!!!

First, let’s talk about why corona viruses can cause so much damage to our bodies. Corona viruses is an organism that can not multiply without a cell hosting it. In order to multiply, corona viruses hijack the RNA making and the protein-making capacities of the host cell.  Viral hijacking means that the host cell can not make RNA and proteins for the host’s own use, and the host cell dies as a consequence of the infection. Therefore, the main direct damage from corona virus infection is the killing of our own cells.

Second, let’s talk about how Sars-CoV-2 hijacks cells. Once a corona virus enters a living host cell, the long RNA of the virus snatches the ribosomes of the host cell, and is transcribed into a long, viral

Read More

Can gene silencing relieve chronic pain?

By

On February 8, 2023

In cardiovascular system, cellular basis of life, nervous system

TeachableMedicalNews article 02082023

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. cellular basis of life chapter – concept of one gene, one protein
  2. cellular basis of life chapter – concept of gene mutation leading to protein malfunction
  3. cellular basis of life chapter – role of mRNA in protein synthesis
  4. nervous system chapter – pain receptor neurons detect chemicals of tissue damage
  5. blood chapter – the heme is the oxygen-binding part of hemoglobin

The news item:  Recently the following report appeared:

Gene silencing medicine transforms crippling pain

The NHS is set to fund innovative therapy that patients say has given them their lives back.

The article states that two sisters suffered tremendous pain from acute intermittent porphyria, and even opioid pain killers couldn’t block the pain. The article also states that the sisters received the injected givosiran drug which provided pain relief, and that the drug silences a gene, so buildup of a toxic protein is prevented.

So, Why Do I Care??  Constant, chronic pain prevents people from carrying on with their daily lives. Because traditional pain management approaches may not work on such patients, alternative pain relief methods are being explored. Porphyria is one of those disorders where pain relief may eventually come from the molecular understanding of the causation of pain. If the gene silencing approach is successful, it would be reasonable to explore it’s use for other disorders, and that might benefit many patients.

Plain English, Please!!!  First, let’s talk about what porphyria is. The heme part of hemoglobin is an organic chemical shaped as a large ring. That large ring is constructed by linking together small chemicals. That is similar to an assembly line that makes cars.  Each factory worker adds a piece to the half-finished car. The ring called heme is made on a molecular assembly line where the workers are enzymes. If one enzyme is missing (because of genetic mutations) the assembly line behind that worker keeps on humming, and partially completed ring pieces accumulate in the cell.  In the case of the disorder called porphyria the partially made ring is called amino levulinic acid (ALA). The sisters in the article suffer from such a genetic mutation, and ALA has accumulated in their bodies.

Second, let’s talk about why porphyria causes pain. The large amount of ALA spreads throughout the body of porphyria patients, and damages neurons, the liver, and the kidneys. The damaged cells leak

Read More

Can we really make human proteins for medical treatments in lettuce plants?

By

On December 10, 2022

In cellular basis of life, endocrine system, skeletal system

TeachableMedicalNews article TMN12112022

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. cellular basis of life chapter – concept of one gene, one protein
  2. cellular basis of life chapter – protein synthesis on ribosomes
  3. skeletal system chapter – actions of osteoblasts and osteoclasts in living bones
  4. skeletal system chapter – osteons and trabeculae provide structural strength to bones
  5. endocrine system chapter – actions of PTH made by parathyroid gland

The news item:  Recently the following report appeared in cyberspace:

Humans on Mars may feast on gene-edited salad to stop bones breaking

Genetically modified salad could be crucial to keeping the bones of humans on Mars healthy.

The article states that a human gene was added to lettuce, and that the human protein, parathyroid hormone (PTH), will fight the osteoporosis that astronauts develop in space. Astronauts lose 1.5% of bone mass from weight-bearing bones, and the expectation is the PTH made by the lettuce will prevent bone loss on a trip to Mars that may last for over a year.

So, Why Do I Care??  Osteoporosis, as stated in the article, weakens bones, but not only in astronauts. Over 10 million people in the US alone has osteoporosis that makes fractures more likely. PTH is currently administered through injections, so, if we could demonstrate that eating PTH-enriched lettuce, then treatment of osteoporosis may become easier.

Plain English, Please!!! First, let’s summarize what osteoporosis is, and how astronauts taking PTH can fight it (this was explored in detail in TMN article 11272022). The microscopic structural reinforcement structures (osteons and trabeculae) in our bones erode, gets degraded in the disorder called osteoporosis.  Imagine a tall building or a bridge; columns or pillars are the elements of structural reinforcement in them. A corrosion of those pillars and columns weakens the building, and may cause their collapse. Astronauts in space don’t have the force of gravity to stimulate bone building, so bone loss, osteoporosis develops. PTH, when administered in short bursts, stimulates osteoblasts, and increases bone formation, and that could prevent bone loss in astronauts. Although astronauts could inject themselves with PTH, however, for long spaceflights they would have to carry lots of PTH doses. It would be better if they could produce PTH during the flight itself.  Making human PTH inside a food item would create a continuous supply of PTH.

Second, let’s talk about what is entailed with the genetic engineering of the lettuce. In general, we do genetic engineering when we are adding a new gene or inactivating an existing gene in an organism.

Read More

Can we treat breast cancer by targeting a mutation in the cancer cells?

By

On November 12, 2022

In cellular basis of life, reproductive system

TeachableMedicalNews article 11122022

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. cellular basis of life chapter – concept of one gene, one protein
  2. cellular basis of life chapter – concept of gene mutation leading to protein malfunction
  3. cellular basis of life chapter – cell division is regulated
  4. female reproductive system chapter – anatomical location of mammary ducts

The news item: Recently the following reporting appeared online:

No Title

No Description

 

The article states that the newly approved breast cancer treatment, Piqray, is for the HR+, HER2 – advanced breast cancer cases. The article also states that this new drug is targeting PIK3CA mutations.

So, Why Do I Care??  There are over 280,000 new breast cancer diagnoses each year in the USA. Deaths from breast cancer is estimated to be over 43,000 each year in the USA. Every new treatment regimen reduces the number of deaths, or increases survival time. In addition, a drug that targets mutated cancer cells also lowers the side effects, because only the mutated cells are attacked.

Plain English, Please!!! First, let’s talk about what breast cancer is. In all cancers the normal cells of a particular portion of the body transformed, so they suddenly gain the ability to divide without control. In the case of breast cancer the epithelial cells of the inner lining of mammary ducts transform into cancer cells. The mammary duct cells divide in controlled fashion to fill gaps where cell died in the duct.

Second, let’s talk about why cancer cells divide without control. Our cells normally divide by going through the steps of interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase, the process that divides

Read More

Page 2 of 6

Previous

Next

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén