CRISPR - Gene Editing Tool

CRISPR, it sounds like an app, but it really stands for "clusters of regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats." It is the worlds most advanced gene editing tool, which means it can alter DNA sequences and change DNA function in any cell. As we have discussed this semester a lot of the different diseases and disorders that occur when a DNA sequence is changed via a mutation I have been curious to better understand what possibilities we as humans have at either fixing these mutations or creating one of our own that would be beneficial. 

CRISPR acts as a pair of "molecular scissors" and was first tested by Rodolphe Barrangou and other researchers at Danisco, the food company, in 2007. They tested Streptococcus Thermophilus, a bacteria usually found in yogurt to see if the CRISPR segments of DNA were able to have an effect on the immunity of the bacteria against certain viruses. What they found is that once the CRIPSR region was genetically modified, the bacteria in the yogurt was able to fight off the viral strain much better than it previously had. This gave them the first clue of the potential that the CRISPR region might hold. CRISPR is used with Cas9, which is a protein that acts as an enzyme that allows DNA to be cut and new DNA replaced. When the CRIPSR was used, the bacteria was able to remember the DNA of the virus that had attacked it, which enabled them to fight off future attacks easier. 

CRISPR further works as a gene editing tool by cutting a part of the DNA, and tricking the DNA repair mechanisms to replace the DNA in a different order. In 2012 Robert Winthrop, a Professor at Harvard Medical School, discovered that this ability to cut DNA could be directed to any piece of DNA using a guide RNA. Similar to transcription, a corresponding RNA sequence could be sent in to match the DNA sequence desired to cut. Once that material was cut by the Cas9, scientists can introduce a new DNA sequence that will allow the section that was cut to be reorganized into whatever sequence is desired. 

Obviously the implications of this process are huge, and also ethically challenging. In 2013 the first attempts to apply this process to human cells were tested, and they found the technology could be effective at preventing certain diseases such as cystic fibrosis, cataracts, and fanconi anemia. It has also been applied to increase crop yield, make farming plants more resistant to disease, etc. At this time however, all reports have come back that CRISPR is only 50% effective at replacing the desired DNA. Before it could be applied to much larger and bigger respects such as an adult human cell, it must be much more accurate. Another possible side effect is if a negative mutation occurred in an adult human cell that was undesirable, the trait or defect could potentially be transferred onto offspring. 

Ultimately there are many different possibilities and issues, but the implications are huge and could effect potentially millions of lives for the better. 

Vidyasagar, Aparna. “What is CRIPSR?” Live Science, Apr. 2017. https://www.livescience.com/58790-crispr-explained.html. Accessed 16 November 2017

    Ebola has always been a disease that I have found scary and intimidating.  The lack of a cure or a way to stop the tremendous death that this disease causes is a high priority in the research world. The largest outbreak of Ebola happened in 2014-2015 in Western Africa.  This outbreak caused more than 11,000 deaths and infected nearly 29,000 people.   In an article published in Science magazine tells us how a team of scientists from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, U. S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infections Diseases(USAMRID), and the Scripps Research Institute, were able to target a hidden Achilles heel shared by all known types of the Ebola virus. 

      Monoclonal antibodies which bind to and neutralize specific pathogens and toxins,  have emerged through research as the most promising treatments for Ebola patients.  In the past there is usually only one specific virus that the antibodies are able to fight against.  The most successful of the experimental therapies, ZMapp-TM,  a cocktail of three monoclonal antibodies for example is specific for Ebola virus Zaire but does not work for Ebola Sudan and Bundibugyo.  

   As researchers discovered the problem with the monoclonal antibodies could potentially cause issues because the Ebola virus hides deep inside the cell in the lysosomes which make them invisible to the immune system and they are shielded from the conventional way that antibodies work.  A couple of the lead scientists came up with the Trojan Horse plan in order to beat the "invisibility cloak", that Ebola has.  The scientists tricked the Ebola virus into carrying the way that they can be destroyed into the host cells.  

    Once inside the cell the scientists had developed two monoclonal antibodies into one molecule.  One of the molecules was designed to neutralize NPC1 protein in and the other was made to target NPC1 protein and destroy it.  After the antibodies went into the lysosome specific antibodies were released into the cell and in studies the dual antibiotic approach showed tremendous promise in that they were able to neutralize all five forms of the virus.  The Trojan Horse approach was then tested in mice, the results were not as good, but the protein structure in mice is different than that of human and the scientists will next test the antibodies in primates and hope that the results will lead to an antibiotic to save thousands of people from the deadly Ebola virus.  

    I am very grateful for the progress that is happening on the Ebola virus front.  I am anxious to find out how the further studies for this project have turned out and when the next outbreak of Ebola occurs that this will be ready and will surprise Ebola.  It is due to have a time out.  

Nanoparticles Can Limit Inflammation By Distracting the Immune System

      Researchers at the University of Michigan have recently found that nanoparticles may be able to significantly reduce inflammation by cutting off the process at its source. The researchers originally intended to use plastic nanoparticles to deliver drugs to blood vessel walls. However, they found that neutrophils were removing the nanoparticles and taking them to the liver instead of allowing them to adhere to blood vessel walls. Neutrophils are first-responder white blood cells that induce acute inflammation at the site of an injury. Low neutrophil counts are dangerous due to lowering of the immune response. However, overreaction of neutrophils can be incredibly dangerous as well; inflammation is a key cause or symptom of a multitude of diseases and lethal reactions. The neutrophils were effectively diverted from causing inflammation at the site of injury by prioritizing removal of the plastic nanoparticles. While this is an important discovery, the researchers are continuing to study nanoparticles as drug carriers. The interaction with neutrophils may be evaded by using nonfouling (protein-resistant) materials in tandem with targeting chemicals as a coating for the nanoparticles.

     This finding has potential ramifications for the fates of many diseases that are caused or exacerbated by inflammation, such as depression, Alzheimer’s, asthma, sepsis, and immune overreactions to injuries. If inflammation is caught early enough, a curative injection of nanoparticles could disrupt the progression of the disease. This treatment could be particularly useful in reducing the lethality of sepsis. Sepsis is caused by heavy, body-wide inflammation in response to infection. This treatment could be particularly useful in reducing the lethality of sepsis; it is a common cause of death among hospitalized patients. Hospitals could maintain a supply of these nanoparticles and start an IV at the first sign of sepsis. Not only would this reduce the death rate, it would also reduce malpractice lawsuits. I find this useful on a personal level due to a propensity toward major depressive episodes. SSRIs and SNRIs have a long adjustment period that does not diminish symptoms of depression while producing uncomfortable side effects. This leads to prolonged reduced function in multiple areas of life. The resulting effects on productivity, social life, sleep, and diet tend to deepen depression before it can be affected by antidepressants. I would be willing to try an injection of nanoparticles at the onset of a depressive episode in hopes that it could circumvent the disruption of my life by depression.

Source: http://ns.umich.edu/new/multimedia/videos/25244-nanoparticles-can-limit-inflammation-by-distracting-the-immune-system

More tomatoes and faster. You might think, "hey that is awesome I love BLT's!" Or maybe you thought "Oh great... The world does not need more tomatoes." Well if you were excited don't worry there are still plenty of tomatoes to go around, but this discovery is not for eating. And for you doubters and tomato unlovers, you are in luck this is a study that helps scientists research and not have to wait for a long time while their tomatoes grow. They can produce them faster and in a larger quantity all because of a recent study.

Scientists have found a way to cut the growth time of tomatoes plants and make it six weeks faster to modify their genes. This means scientists can use the ideal tomato plant and make it even more efficient in doing research. The process involves injecting DNA into the tomato genome and grows a new plant. It may seem like a small feet, but really it is a breakthrough in making it possible to perform experiments on mass amounts of plants. If this experiment can transfer to other plants that have specific characteristics that make them ideal for experiments with specific gene questions.

Tomatoes are currently being used as models of how to perform and repeat these experiments. Then the experiments will move to other plants and then the studies will grow and spread to varied tests to see the results with all plants.

Its time to get excited about tomatoes! The future is bright as science continues to Progress and expand.

EG

You Can Live Longer and Healthier with Intermittent Fasting

Everybody would like to be healthy and live a longer. Some people would also want to lose weight and experience powerful body vigor and brain development. Intermittent fasting offers eating patterns that efficiently helps a person to achieve the earlier mentioned goals. Intermittent fasting includes the aspects of regular multiday fasts, skipping meals for a particular decided time of the day to promote health benefits through calorie restriction. However, this does not mean that a person is denied a chance to feast, but periodically sets an eating plan that objectively helps attain the desired intermittent fasting goal. Skipping a meal, a day for another; like rodents’ experiment for the ones that took less food, helps your body to consume fewer calories and therefore, it might help you live a longer and healthier life (Stipp, n.p).

The First Fasts

The implication for fasting in religion is attributed to the health of the soul whereas; the bodily benefits are lesser recognized until doctors recognized it in the early 20th century. However, the fasting of this level is beneficial to both the soul and the body as it helps fight diet or eating related diseases like obesity and epilepsy.

According to the colonel University Nutritionist’s’ researchers of the 1930s, exposure to stringent daily dieting from an early age are in a position to live longer and prevent some diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and cancer. In contrast, research on periodic fasting and restriction of calories, by the University of Chicago in the year 1945 showed that alternating feeding for a day helped in extending the span of human life, although the research was carried on the rodents; rats (Stipp, n.p).

Intermittent fasting has also been seen to slow the aging process through the control of antiaging diets. These diets have been proved to produce antibiotics and develop coronary artery bypass surgery that makes one look young always. Intermittent fasting counters the risks of degenerative brain diseases, stroke damage, and stress. Since the study used rodents as the specimen, Matson and colleagues prove that intermittent fasting suppressed motor deficits in the model of Parkinson’s disease in a mouse and that it slows the cognitive decline and affirms the observation with a personal experience after skipping meals and being more productive.

Another thing that a researcher; Matson, talks about is that intermittent fasting acts to trifle stress that accelerates defense of cellular elements against molecular damage.  The defense is as a result of leveled “chaperone proteins,” which hinders the assembly of other molecules in the body, thus resulting to the prevention of neurological disorders and increasing the responsiveness to the insulin that helps in regulating the blood sugars hence preventing diabetes and the heart illness or failure.

On Thin Ground

Intermittent fasting is beneficial to human health, to some levels it is discouraged as it can lead to some undesirable conditions such as an increase in blood glucose and sometimes, increasing the tissue levels of oxidizing compounds that can lead to damage of the cells and result to more complications.

Sometimes, intermittent fasting can result in undesirable weight loss. There is attributed dangers of compensatory gorging that can lead to a reduced lifespan of the primates. The damage of the cells calls for caution when altering the way people get their meals. However, Intermittent fasting is a smartening way to live if it is handled with caution. Fasting should be identified from starvation and malnutrition for it to be effective.

Stipp. D. How Intermittent Fasting Might Help You Live a Longer and Healthier Life, 2013, (n.p). Article, Retrieved from: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-intermittent-fasting-might-help-you-live-longer-healthier-life/

To understand the origins of pain, ask a flatworm

It's always interesting to remember that, scientifically-speaking, we all came from a single celled organism, which eventually evolved into all life as we know it. Along the way, we picked up some interesting characteristics from our different ancestors of life. We got meiosis from eukaryotic organisms, bones from fish, and--per the title of this post--pain detectors from flatworms. Pain, while it isn't most amazing feeling, is very important for survival.

Now, it may not seem particularly vital to know where these biological processes have derived from, but according to biologist Paul Garrity of Brandeis University in Walton, Massachusetts, it’s actually really helpful. Getting a big picture view of how the systems are built gives us a clue on how pain detection might have originated millions of years ago [Sanders].

The study results feature a protein, TRPA1, a pain detector located on the outside of human cells and the cells of many other animal species. It helps many different animal species detect and escape anything that might harm them, including dangerous chemicals, bodily injuries, and harsh temperatures. What’s interesting about TRPA1 is that its triggers vary among different animals. In some animals, the protein is activated by cold, but in others, it’s activated by heat.

The experiment conducted used heat as a trigger for the flatworms. There were two groups, one group with the TRPA1 protein and the other without. The flat worms with the protein avoided the heat, but the ones without the protein didn’t care. The study concluded that TRPA1 is involved in flatworms responses to danger—at least by heat.

Although pain may be unpleasant in the moment, it signals to our bodies that danger is imminent and ultimately protects us from harm. Without pain, we wouldn't know when to stop or when we were pushing our bodies to their limits. For example, if we didn't feel pain, there would be nothing to stop us from sticking our hands in boiling water, damaging our cells and hindering our usage of those nerves and muscles.

While the development of sexual reproduction in eukaryotic cells is just a tad more exciting than the development of pain receptors in flatworms, all of these evolutionary processes make it possible for us to experience the life the way we do today. Without them, we would be nothing more than a single cell.


Reference article:

To understand the origins of pain, ask a flatworm. Laura Sanders. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/understand-origins-pain-ask-flatworm.

Circadian Rhythm Disruptions Before Contraception May Have Transgenerational Impacts

Circadian Rhythm Disruptions Before Contraception May Have Transgenerational Impacts

On a trip to Capitol Reef National Park, I noticed, for one of the only times in my life, I could clearly see the Milky Way. The night was so dark I couldn’t see anything around me. Capitol Reef National Park received an International Dark Sky Designation from the International Dark Sky Association, the leading organization advocating action light pollution worldwide. Capitol Reef is one of the rare remaining places in the continental United States with natural darkness. To maintain a dark sky the National Park enforces strict policy on lights. The Park requires a cover for any light at night to keep the light waves going down toward the ground for their intended purpose and not toward the sky. I only slept for a few hours, but I woke up feeling more rested than I had in months. After digging into the differences unnatural night time light causes, I concluded that light pollution is a highly underrated issue.

Modern society adopted artificial light without regard to environment or human health. Nighttime illumination has spread globally and touches nearly every ecosystem on the planet, through countless items used by people every night. Even dim light at night is associated with a variety of psychological and physiological issues that disrupt circadian rhythms in mammals. The circadian rhythm has been shown to affect mate selectivity, immune system, and alter hormonal function. The benefits of using technology during the night, without restrictions, currently seem to outweigh the risks. Many people produce nighttime illumination through cell phones, televisions, night-lights, and even the light emanating from an alarm clock. This common assumption may be wrong. This study shows the potential implication that through light pollution and nighttime light, future generations may continuously become less ffective at fighting infections.

Ohio State Neuroscience graduate student, Yasmine Cisse, published Parental Exposure to Dim Light at Night Prior to Mating Alters Offspring Adaptive Immunity. The study used Siberian hamsters to test the hypothesis that “dLAN (dim light at night) has transgenerational influences on immune function,” (Cisse). The F1 generation of adult hamsters were only exposed to dark night and light days. Their parental generation was also only exposed to dark nights and light days. The F1 generation was selectively mated with only the female exposed to dLAN, only the male exposed to dLAN, both or neither exposed. All dLAN exposed rodents were subject to dLAN conditions, for nine week, before mating. Gestation (when the embryo or fetus is carried in the uterus in viviparous females) and offspring rearing were in dark night and light day environments.

Figure 1: visual representation of the mating method researchers used.
From: Parental Exposure to Dim Light at Night Prior to Mating Alters Offspring Adaptive Immunity

Researches evaluated immune function in several ways to determine how the exposure affected the offspring. They evaluated splenic methylation. Methylation is the process by which methyl groups are added to a DNA molecule. The addition of a methyl group can alter the activity of a DNA segment without changing the actual sequence of the DNA, which is called an epigenetic change. This can change the organism’s phenotype without changing the actual DNA sequence and can be passed to daughter cells. Methylation helps the body’s enzymes work more efficiency. An increase or decrease in methylation can be bad or good. This study aims to support or refute the hypothesis that certain epigenetic impacts related to methylation can also be passed onto daughter cells in sexual reproduction; and ultimately be passed onto the hamster’s children.

The first way the study tests transgenerational impact is Delayed Type Hypersensitivity (DTH). DTH is an “antigen specific T-cell mediated immune response.” (Cisse). It is considered an index of effector T cell function. The hamsters are subjected to the antigen that causes inflammation, from monocytes and lymphocytes, penetrating the skin to fight the agent. The amount of swelling serves as an indicator on how intense the immune system response was. All test groups displayed swelling. In maternal F1 dLAN exposure, male F2 offspring displayed less swelling (p<.05), and in F1 paternal and maternal dLAN exposure, female offspring displayed significantly less swelling (p<.05) too. This data supports reduced immune system response.

Figure 2 shows most swelling in offspring where both parents had dark nights and least swelling for offspring of two dLAN exposed parents. 

From: Parental Exposure to Dim Light at Night Prior to Mating Alters Offspring Adaptive Immunity

Researchers used Splenic Melatonin (MT1) to evaluate endocrine function. Melatonin is a hormone produced by various tissues in the body. It is released continuously at different levels to regulate sleep. “Melatonin is immediately diminished by exposure to light at night in both humans and rodents... The majority of immune cells and organs express melatonin receptors.” (Cisse). In the absence of light, melatonin is secreted. Peak melatonin levels should be secreted during the night and low levels during the day. Clear circadian rhythms regulate melatonin levels. “Melatonin is a potent immunomodulator and enhances immune responses by stimulating bone marrow proliferation, antigen presentation, and release of certain cytokines” (Cisse). Cytokines are small proteins that have an important cell signaling function and impact the behavior of cells around them. Their presence signals cells like white blood cells to come and help the body during times of infection. “Melatonin increases MT1 activity in the thymus and the spleen and enhances DTH response in Syrian hamsters.” (Cisse) Circadian rhythm plays a major role in both the immune system and endocrine system. The study found that paternal F1 dLAN produced F2 offspring with decreased melatonin in the spleen. When both parents were exposed there was also a decreased splenic methylation. MT1 was decreased significantly more in male offspring than in female offspring.  Researchers hypothesized that histone modification may play a role in offspring’s phenotype. They also suggesting sex played a role on the phenotypic inheritance. Offspring produced less than usual MT1 expressions when only the mothers were exposed to dLAN, in comparison to those who only had a father parent exposed. This might be because females have two copies of the X chromosome where many X-linked immune genes are while male offspring only have one copy allowing the females to express the altered phenotype in a less severe way than males.

The difference in effects between male and female offspring may be because of the X-chromosome contains more immune system-related genes than the Y chromosome (Bianchi). While a female mammal contains two copies of the X chromosome their male counterpart only contains one. A female receives twice the dosage of these immune system-related genes. After fertilization the cells undergoes a process where one of the two X chromosome genes is turned off, in a female called X-inactivation. The one inactivated chromosome is silenced. Every daughter cell produced from mitosis replicates the same one active and one inactivated gene as the parent cell. This occurs in the embryo’s early stages of development, and the few cells present don’t have to turn off the same gene. X-inactivation is random for each cell. While some female cells will have certain immune system genes silenced, those same genes may be expressed in other cells. Males who only have one copy of the X-chromosome are limited to that one X-chromosome’s immune genes in all of their cells. This unequal effect may also have a negative impact on a fitness and mating selection, in a species, in addition to a reduced immune system.

The data from this study supports that exposure to light at night; prior to conception does alter the offspring’s inherited immune system expression epigenetically. The effects of a completely normal part of modern life are very shocking. While some effects are only seen in the exposed generation such as increased body mass, others can be passed on. If light pollution or nighttime artificial light use can continue without any regard, generations will potentially become increasingly vulnerable to diseases and prone to conditions. Like with other, more publicized forms of pollution, light pollution should be considered serious. Simple lifestyle changes at home like turning off cell phones, televisions, and blacking out windows during night hours should be encouraged. Those changes in homes and in cities is for future generations as well as the present one.

Reference Study:

Cissé, Y. M. et al. Parental Exposure to Dim Light at Night Prior to Mating Alters Offspring Adaptive Immunity. Sci. Rep. 7, 45497; doi: 10.1038/srep45497 (2017).

Other references:

Brianchi, I, et al. The X chromosome and immune associated genes. Journal of Immunity, May 201, doi:10.1016/j.jaut.2011.11.012.

Morris, J., Hartl, D. L., & Knoll, A. H. (2016). Biology: how life works. New York, NY: Macmillian Education.

Mother's Diet at Time of Conception May Alter Baby's DNA

               My wife is currently powering through her third pregnancy, and throughout each one I have become increasingly more interested in the effects of women’s health choices on their children. Some health choices, such as drug use, smoking, and alcohol consumption, carry with them obvious risks. But how do less extreme health choices, such as diet, affect a child in utero and after birth?

Charles Q. Choi wrote a fascinating article in which he cites several studies conducted on pregnant women in Africa and Europe that explore the effects of their pre-delivery diets on the genetic expression of their offspring. In the first cited study, scientists studied a sample of women in The Gambia in western Africa who experience major diet changes throughout their pregnancies due to the region’s dry and rainy seasons. The dry season requires hard farm labor, and the food stores gradually dwindle throughout the season. Staples such as rice, millet (a type of grain), peanuts, and cassava are commonly eaten during this time of year. Once the rainy season arrives, however, and the food stores are empty, villagers must turn to leafy green vegetables for nutrition. This diet is high in folate, which is an important nutrient to consume during pregnancy.

Researchers conducted studies on 84 pregnant women who delivered children during the peak of the rainy season and 83 who delivered during the peak of the dry season. Their focus was two-fold: 1) They studied the concentration of nutrients in the blood of the mothers and 2) analyzed six specific genes in the new infants within 2-8 months of birth. The researchers made some fascinating discoveries! They found that in all six genes, the infants born during the rainy season showed consistently higher rates of methylation in their DNA than those of their dry-season counterparts. DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification in DNA that affects gene regulation. Researchers believe that the methylation of infants’ DNA is linked to the nutrient levels found in the mothers’ blood. Of this discovery, Branwen Hennig, a senior study author at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said, "Our results represent the first demonstration in humans that a mother's nutritional well-being at the time of conception can change how her child's genes will be interpreted, with a lifelong impact.”

Similar studies on animals suggest that environmental influences prior to conception, such as diet, can affect the genetic expression seen in offspring. In the case of a study conducted on mice in 2003, it was discovered that a female’s diet could change the coat color of her offspring by permanently changing methylation of their DNA. Past research suggests that these epigenetic effects occur in human development, as well. For example, whether or not Dutch women endured post-World War II famines seemed to influence how fat or skinny their children were later in life. These examples, however, do not provide concrete proof that DNA changes occur in offspring as a result of the mother’s diet. "It's also important to note that their diet wasn't the only thing that changed,” Robert Waterland, a nutritional epigeneticist at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, commented. “There was more physical activity due to farm labor during the rainy season, which contributed to weight loss during the rainy season and regaining of weight during the dry season. Such changes contribute to what nutrients are circulating within the women."

Though the long-term effects of these epigenetic changes are still unknown, researchers are hoping to learn what regions of the human genome are affected by diet before and during pregnancy and what role such changes may have in disease. The overarching goal of this research is to determine the best diet for expectant mothers that will provide necessary nutrients for babies in utero and prevent defects in the methylation process. This knowledge could have a tremendous impact on the health of future generations!

As a father, I am deeply concerned about the health and well-being of my children. Children in utero are especially vulnerable and are completely dependent on the health choices of their mothers. I wonder how many of the health problems children struggle with today could be the result of a severe lack of essential nutrients during their growth and development in the womb. Could issues such as ADD, ADHD, obesity, addictive behaviors, etc. be the consequence of mothers’ diet choices? If diet has such powerful effects on the health of grown humans, how much greater does a mother’s diet influence her child’s health after birth?

I know from personal experience that when one’s diet is not healthy, more health problems, like illness and injury, result. My mood and self-confidence are even affected by the substances I put into my body! Therefore, it stands to reason that the dieting choices women make before and during pregnancy directly affect the physical health and resilience of their children. I also believe that these affects can be long-lasting, perhaps throughout a child’s lifetime. It seems apparent to me that a common thread connecting individuals and families with a history of health problems is a poor and unbalanced diet. While this factor is often the result of poverty, I think that many of these health challenges are a consequence of the nutrient-deprived diets of mothers for generations.

Mothers have a great deal to worry about before, during, and after pregnancies. My wife certainly feels a weight of responsibility on her shoulders to do everything she can to ensure that our growing baby is healthy. While concrete scientific evidence may not support this idea, I am confident that women who prioritize implementing a healthy, balanced diet as they prepare for and endure pregnancy have a lasting positive impact on the growth and development of their children, both during the pregnancy and long after birth.

Article URL: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mothers-diet-at-time-of-conception-may-alter-babys-dna/

How Changing the Clock Back Benefits Our Mental Health

Around the same time every year, many countries around the world change their clocks back an hour.  During the fall and winter months, changing the time makes the dark evenings come sooner giving us an extra hour of sunlight in the morning rather than in the evening which most people may not find all that useful.  However, research and studies have suggested and proven otherwise.  This extra sunlight in the mornings - mornings in specific - has been linked to unseen advantages that can help boost our brains and mental health.

When light is absorbed and detected by the retina, this information is not only relayed to our brain where we process what we are looking at, but it is also reported to the internal body clock located deep in our brains.  The internal body clock sits in the hypothalamus where the endocrine system and hormone secretion are regulated.  We are unaware of this process because it does not affect our vision or how we see objects.  When light is detected by the internal body clock in the mornings within the first thirty minutes of waking up, the brain drives the secretion of the hormone cortisol up.  Cortisol is also known as the stress hormone because of its powerful effects on the mind and body.  The cortisol secretion within the first thirty minutes of waking up is the greatest compared to any part of the day, but is actually even more when we wake up with light.  The lighter the mornings, the greater the burst of cortisol secretion which in turn creates a better foundation to start the day with.

According to previous research, individuals affected by seasonal affective disorder (SAD) tend to have a lower amount of cortisol when waking up in the dark fall and winter months than those not affected by the disorder.  This study was compared to a group of people not affected by changing seasons as well as the same individuals in the summer months.  Although those affected by SAD have the lowest amount of cortisol secretion in the morning during the winter months, the amount of cortisol secretion was able to increase with the aid of artificial light.  This proves that having lighter mornings will increase cortisol secretion and improve our function throughout the day.  The cortisol burst in the morning has also been linked to a larger capacity to learn and function with specifically goal-setting, decision-making and planning.  

I enjoyed reading and studying this article because this was a topic II have never considered before.  I have always known that we set our clocks back an hour in the fall and move it an hour forward in the spring, but never thought anything of it.  It is interesting that something we have been doing for many years has actually had more unseen health advantages than what we understood in the first place.  The research of cortisol levels and the amount of light in the mornings has discovered valuable information that could be used to help individuals in society that suffer from SAD and other related disorders.

Possible Anti-Aging Brain Therapy Shows Promise in Mice

Possible Anti-Aging Brain Therapy Shows Promise in Mice

Klotho is a protein that is related to aging. This protein is naturally produced in human kidneys and brains. The klotho protein was first discovered in 1997 when researchers found that diminished levels of the protein resulted in animals aging faster. Physician and neuroscientist Dena Dubal of the University of California conducted a test with mice that were genetically engineered to maintain elevated klotho levels. These mice lived 30 percent longer than those mice without. Because of this, researchers believe this protein can be beneficial for anti-aging therapies for humans. Just as important, the tests conducted on the mice resulted in increased memory and learning with those mice with more of the protein.

This research prompted Dubal to wonder if klotho might slow cognitive decline as in people with Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s. Further tests were conducted by Dubal with human’s and mice. Results showed that subjects which carried the KL-VS gene variant klotho had higher levels of functioning on cognitive tests. After the test, they analyzed the brain of the mice and found that there was increased amount of GluN2B subunits in NMDA receptors which are critical for controlling learning and memory. This could mean that the klotho protein turns on or increases GluN2B.

Dubal’s team then experimented on mice engineered to mimic Parkinson’s disease which produce high levels of human alpha-synuclein protein. The treated mice showed increase in cognitive results but the alpha-synuclein protein levels stayed the same. This shows that klotho didn’t lower levels of that protein but it countered the effects of the disease. They also measured levels of GluN2B but astonishingly found the levels weren’t different showing that klotho didn’t increase the numbers of GluN2B but they were activating the receptor components in place. After this finding they concluded that the neurotransmitter used by NMDA receptors were the main things being affected by klotho. 

This anti-aging hormone produces these effects without entering the brain therefore it interacts with another factor that is able to get into the brain. Further testing needs to be done before trials on humans with the klotho protein because the effects of the protein may involve a lot of steps in a chain of molecular events which they do not know will result in. In conclusion, Dubal doesn’t know exactly what this discovery will lead to but it might lead to ways to combat decline in cognitive functions which can help people with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s live a better life.

I thought this article was extremely interesting because it show’s that science can improve the quality of life. There are a lot of people that are dealing and living with decrease in activity of cognitive function and if there is some form of medicine that can be given to a suffering individual that would be extremely beneficial.

JB

Works Cited

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/possible-anti-aging-brain-therapy-shows-promise-in-mice/

Newborns with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID)

     There are numerous tests run on newborns that can show whether a child is born with a gene mutation or a deficiency. One that hasn’t always been tested for, but has gained a lot of traction over a little more than 50 years is Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID). SCID is one of the primary causes for immunodeficiency diseases caused by a collection of T-cell and humor deficiencies. Thus resulting in the inability to produce antibodies in the body. The surprising factor is that babies who are born with SCID look completely normal and healthy. Their problems begin when they contract recurrent infections that can’t be cured with normal treatments, medications, and therapies. One therapy that has proven to be effective is a bone marrow transplant, as long as the SCID is diagnosed soon after birth.

     A babies survival has better rates in a family that has a history of SCID. Dr. Rebecca Buckley says there’s a 96 percent survival rate versus a 66 percent survival rate in babies without a family history. There was one case with a boy named David Vetter also known as the “Bubble Boy.”  The doctors knew that he would need to be isolated in a sterile bubble at birth because the family had another child effected with SCID who did not survive.

     In order to study the best ways to diagnose babies affected with SCID as early as possible, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases founded the Primary Immunodeficiency Consortium. They focused their research on techniques that will improve newborn screenings. Researchers took dried blood and tried testing it with plasma and cellular proteins but were unsuccessful. Dr. Jennifer Puck and her researchers discovered that by using a polymerase chain reaction they were able to successfully isolate the DNA from the dried blood spots and accurately diagnose babies with SCID.

     I work at a plasma donation center called Grifols Biomat. After working there for a year and half and taking a couple biology courses, I’ve taken up an interest in the good that my work does. There is a very high need for source plasma to research and produce therapies to treat people with rare, chronic diseases or disorders. Some of those diseases or disorders are primary immunodeficiency, hemophilia, and genetic lung diseases. Source plasma is also used to treat people who have been through trauma or shock or are burn victims. Although SCID doesn’t have anything to do with source plasma, source plasma was used in the researching of therapies for babies affected by the disorder. I get to see thousands and thousands of mL’s of source plasma drawn from peoples bodies everyday. I think it’s pretty amazing that treatments and medications can be produced to help those in need. And I think that it’s even more amazing that we are using the research to further help babies that born with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) to prevent more deaths and create more cures.

Reference:

The Source Magazine of the Plasma Protein Therapeutics Industry (Fall 2017)