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University of Queensland researchers have found a way to reverse a cellular process triggered by COVID-19 that contributes to premature aging of the brain. Dr. Julio Aguado and a team used synthetic brain organoid models, grown in a laboratory from human stem cells, to study the effect of different SARS-COV-2 variants on brain tissue. "We found COVID-19 accelerates the presence of 'zombie' or senescent cells, which accumulate naturally and gradually in the brain as we get older," Dr. Aguado said. "Senescent cells are known to drive tissue inflammation and degeneration, leaving patients exposed to cognitive impairments like brain fog and...

Investigators have found that dasatinib, a drug commonly used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia, is strongly associated with kidney injury. The study team strongly believes this study will impact clinical practice significantly, changing standard of care and possibly introducing new black box warnings for dasatinib. Furthermore, the researchers point out that the incidence of kidney injury is a previously unknown severe side effect for this drug. This side effect, they report, is advertised to be rare; however, they observed it in 10% of all participants taking dasatinib. Of concern, they say, is that patients taking dasatinib are currently not screened...

Eliminating old, dysfunctional cells in human fat also alleviates signs of diabetes. The discovery could lead to new treatments for Type 2 diabetes and other metabolic diseases. The cells in your body are constantly renewing themselves, with older cells aging and dying as new ones are being born. But sometimes that process goes awry. Occasionally damaged cells linger. Called senescent cells, they hang around, acting as a bad influence on other cells nearby. Their bad influence changes how the neighboring cells handle sugars or proteins and so causes metabolic problems. Type 2 diabetes is the most common metabolic disease in...

Pain where the jaw hinges to the skull is both common and difficult to treat. Killing off aged cells might be the secret to healing it. Age worsens joint deterioration in many parts of the body. Scientists aren't sure why, but in many cases this deterioration seems related to old, damaged cells that refuse to die. Normally, cells in our body are constantly renewing themselves. Most cells that get damaged or begin to turn cancerous are removed by our immune system to make way for fresh, young, healthy cells. But sometimes these cells stick around. Called senescent cells, they are...