Critical and Differential Roles of eIF4A1 and eIF4A2 in B-cell Development and Function

Critical and Differential Roles of eIF4A1 and eIF4A2 in B-Cell Development and Function Academic Background In mammalian cells, translation initiation is a crucial step in protein synthesis, where the eukaryotic initiation factor 4A (eIF4A) plays a pivotal role. eIF4A is an ATP-dependent RNA helicase that unwinds secondary structures in the 5’ untr...

Mechanisms of Age-Associated Variation in Immune Cell Regeneration Across Individuals

The functional decline of the immune system with aging is characterized by an increase in innate immune cells (e.g., granulocytes) and a decrease in adaptive immune cells (e.g., B cells). This imbalance in the immune system is closely related to the onset of various diseases, particularly myeloid leukemia and immune deficiencies common in the elder...

Mapping In Silico Genetic Networks of the KMT2D Tumour Suppressor Gene to Uncover Novel Functional Associations and Cancer Cell Vulnerabilities

Academic Background and Problem Statement Loss-of-Function (LOF) mutations in Tumor Suppressor Genes (TSGs) are prevalent in cancer. However, therapeutic strategies directly targeting these mutations are challenging due to the loss or reduction of encoded protein function, which in normal states plays a role in inhibiting aberrant cell proliferatio...

Ubiquitin Regulatory X (UBX) Domain-Containing Protein 6 is Essential for Autophagy Induction and Inflammation Control in Macrophages

Critical Role of UBXN6 in Autophagy Induction and Inflammation Control in Macrophages Background The innate immune system serves as the first line of defense against pathogen invasion and inflammatory responses. Monocytes and macrophages, as key cell types in the innate immune system, play critical roles during infection and inflammation. However, ...

Alternative mRNA Polyadenylation Regulates Macrophage Hyperactivation via the Autophagy Pathway

NUDT21 Regulates Macrophage Hyperactivation via the Autophagy Pathway Academic Background The inflammatory response is a critical component of the body’s immune defense, facilitating pathogen clearance and tissue repair. However, dysregulation of the inflammatory response can lead to chronic inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease ...

Integrated Single-Cell Analysis Reveals Distinct Epigenetic-Regulated Cancer Cell States and a Heterogeneity-Guided Core Signature in Tamoxifen-Resistant Breast Cancer

Integrated Single-Cell Analysis Reveals Distinct Epigenetic-Regulated Cancer Cell States and a Heterogeneity-Guided Core Signature in Tamoxifen-Resistant Breast Cancer Academic Background Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women, and endocrine therapy (e.g., tamoxifen) is the standard treatment for estrogen receptor α (ER)-positive ...

Century-Old Herbarium Specimen Provides Insights into Pierce’s Disease of Grapevines Emergence in the Americas

Summary of the Academic Paper Report on “Century-Old Herbarium Specimen Provides Insights Into Pierce’s Disease of Grapevines Emergence in the Americas” Introduction Pierce’s Disease (PD) of grapevines, caused by the bacterial subspecies Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa (Xff), poses a severe threat to the viticulture industry. However, its geog...

Days-Old Zebrafish Rapidly Learn to Recognize Threatening Agents Through Noradrenergic and Forebrain Circuits

This study explores the necessity of quickly recognizing and avoiding predators in the natural environment, which is crucial for juvenile animals due to their increased vulnerability to predators. However, it remains unclear whether neonatal vertebrates can rapidly acquire such skills and the underlying neural mechanisms. Zebrafish, a widely used m...

PITX2 Expression and Neanderthal Introgression in HS3ST3A1 Contribute to Variation in Tooth Dimensions in Modern Humans

“PITX2 Expression and Neanderthal Introgression in HS3ST3A1 Contribute to Variation in Tooth Dimensions in Modern Humans” Source of the Research This paper was authored by Qing Li, Pierre Faux, Emma Wentworth Winchester, and others, and published on January 6, 2025, in the journal Current Biology. The authors come from various research institutions...

Layer-Specific Anatomical and Physiological Features of the Retina’s Neurovascular Unit

Academic Report on the Study of Layer-Specific Anatomical and Physiological Characteristics of the Retinal Neurovascular Unit Background and Problem Statement Retinal processing, similar to all neural computations, is metabolically expensive and involves the dynamic regulation of blood flow, known as neurovascular coupling (NVC). The retina is supp...