Weekly Health Digest: Stem Cells, Uterus Transplants, Schizophrenia Treatment, Carcinogens, Migraines, Dementia Drug

Stem Cells Reverse Woman’s Diabetes – A World’s First

By Smriti Mallapaty, Nature

A 25-year old female type 1 diabetes patient started producing insulin after receiving a transplant of reprogrammed stem cells from her own body. This could be a novel solution to the increasing demand for Islet transplants, a current treatment for type 1 diabetes. 

The extracted cells from a type 1 diabetes patient undergoes a reprogramming process, allowing them to become any cell type in the body. This technique was created nearly 20 years ago at Kyoto University in Japan by Shinya Yamanaka. Deng Hongkui, a cell biologist at Peking University in Beijing, and his team changed this approach in their study. The researchers used the reprogrammed cells to create clusters of islets, replacing the need for islet transplants from donors. The researchers injected these islets into their first patient in June 2023 after testing their approach on mice and primate specimens. 

Other researchers, such as Jay Skyler, an endocrinologist at the University of Miami, says that the study needs more records of success before deeming reprogrammed cells as a “cure”. Researchers hope to conduct future studies and be able to control for additional variables, such as existing conditions.

— by Joy Lee

Dozens Of Babies Have Been Born From Uterus Transplants

By Tanya Lewis, Scientific American

People born with uterine abnormalities experience challenges in conceiving a baby biologically, but they might have functional ovaries and eggs. An experimental procedure, uterus transplants, is providing hope to these patients.

Surgeons attempted the first human uterus transplant procedure in 2000 with a living donor, but their approach was not successful. They tried again in 2011 with a uterus from a deceased donor. A live birth was possible nine years after surgery. This success led to more transplant attempts from living donors in 2012-2013, this time with a higher success rate.

The procedure, however, comes with risks. Uterus transplantation involves the usual dangers of infection, bleeding or blood clots.  There are further risks for both donors and recipients, respectively. The donor must undergo the additional removal of their ovary and interconnected blood vessels. They have a high risk of damage to both their bladder and ureter. The recipient takes drugs to prevent their immune system from rejecting the new uterus, but this transplant is not permanent. The organ is eventually removed after successful pregnancies to avoid the life-long dangers of organ rejection.

Candidates for living donation are often related to the recipient, such as their own mother. Deceased donors, however, provide additional possibilities for uterus transplants, but this transplant must be immediate to prevent the donor uterus from undergoing damage.

Uterus transplants are currently experimental, expensive and have a limited reach to the community. They have not been tested on transgender women, for example, who could also benefit from it. In the future, researchers hope to improve the accessibility of this procedure for patients.

— by Ananya Dash

Revolutionary drug for schizophrenia wins US approval

By Elie Dolgin, Nature

A new drug for schizophrenia treatment was approved in the US this week, creating new possibilities in the world of psychiatry. 

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness that impacts an individual’s behavior and perception. Dopamine, a key neurotransmitter, is heavily implicated in the hallucinations associated with the disorder. Many existing treatments work by reducing dopamine levels, but these approaches are not one-size-fits-all solutions.

The newly approved drug, KarTX, offers a different approach. It focuses on muscarinic receptors, which transmit signals from neurons to other cells, instead of targeting dopamine. KarTX provides two key benefits by activating these receptors, as it indirectly reduces dopamine’s effects and stimulates brain areas involved in emotion and cognition.

KarTX could help relieve many symptoms of schizophrenia without inducing the typical side effects seen in current treatments. The administration of the medicine, however, bring notable challenges. KarTX must be taken twice daily, whereas many existing schizophrenia medications are long-lasting and only require injections a few times a year. The daily requirement raises concerns for patient compliance, as cited in previous studies. The price is also set extremely high, which creates inequities in who has access to this new medication. 

Nonetheless, psychiatrists and scientists remain hopeful and excited. The approval of KarTX paves the way for more personalized schizophrenia treatments and marks a significant step forward in psychiatric drug research.

— by Alya Khoury

Chemicals linked to breast cancer leach into our foods, study finds

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN

New research has found a profound increase in the amount of cancerous chemicals found in food packaging and processing. These carcinogenic agents are migrating from food packaging into consumers.

This exposure jeopardizes population health, allowing an onslaught of carcinogens to the body. Carcinogens, such as phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA), have been found in recyclable packaging materials, like cardboard, plastics, and paper, and are known for their hormone-disrupting properties. This hormonal disruption can mimic estrogen in the body, which has been linked to the development of sex-related cancers, including breast cancer. 

This study urges consumer to be cautious when heating or burning food in its packaging, as this could facilitate additional damage DNA by these carcinogens, heightening cancer risks.

Companies may label a food product as “BPA-free”, when in actuality, it is a misrepresentation. Toxic chemicals may be use in packaging food products, thus endangering consumers. Governments and regulatory agencies must impose stricter controls on food packaging materials and improve transparency in labeling. Until then, it is crucial for consumers to stay informed and advocate for safer alternatives, as exposure to these carcinogens presents significant health risks.

— by Jaden Hayes

Why Women Get Migraines More Than Men

By Lori Youmshajekian, Wired

Migraines are a debilitating neurological condition that afflict millions of people worldwide. Women suffer three times more migraines than men, according to previous research. Now, researchers are investigating the factors that contribute to this sex-specific disparity.

Many girls experience their first migraine attacks during puberty due to the influx of hormones, such as estrogen. Similar migraine attacks are also experienced by perimenopausal women due to hormone changes. Still, men are more likely to be prescribed medicine for their migraines, even though women are more likely to be diagnosed with migraines.

Female patients often report more migraine attacks around their menstrual cycles. This is likely due to a drop in estradiol, a form of estrogen, which is faster in women who are susceptible to migraines. Interestingly, transgender women on hormone therapy experience migraine attacks with similar frequency as cisgender women due to the influx of estradiol.

The direct causal relationships between estrogen and migraine onset/progression have not been established yet, despite the association between estrogen and migraine attacks has been well researched. One possible explanation is that estrogen causes increased blood flow through the activation of calcitonin gene-related peptide.

Some emerging research suggests that progesterone may also play a role. In mice studies, specimen treated with progesterone were more susceptible to migraine-like symptoms upon light exposure. Researchers hope that more research into concrete causes of migraines will help women who suffer disproportionately.

— by Diyya Ganju

Officials Cast Doubt on a Dementia Drug, but Human Trials Continue

By Teddy Rosenbluth, New York Times

Cassava Sciences has been sued for falsifying statements about the results of clinical trial data for Simufilam, a drug developed to treat Alzheimer’s disease. The Phase 3 trial is comprised of 1,900 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s, the last evaluation before the FDA decides whether to approve a medication for public use. A former Cassava adviser, who published key papers describing the drug’s mechanisms, was indicted on charges of falsifying data by a federal grand jury, despite peer-review scientific studies also suggesting that Simufilam significantly slows cognitive decline.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (S.E.C) brought charges against Cassava Sciences for misleading studies about Simufilam’s effectiveness, which were resolved in a 40-million-dollar settlement. While Cassava Sciences agreed to settle, it neither admitted nor denied misconduct. Nevertheless, the reputation of Cassava Sciences and Simufilam as an Alzheimer’s treatment has fallen following the lawsuit.

— by Rama Esrawee

Items contributed by: Joy Lee, Ananya Dash, Alya Khoury, Jaden Hayes, Diyya Ganju, Rama Esrawee