Glycans are important complex carbohydrates found on cell surfaces that serve crucial roles in cell-to-cell communication, structure, and protection. They are attached to many proteins in the body, and their attachment differs protein to protein. Researchers aimed to investigate the selectivity of a specific, cancer-related enzyme, N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase-V (GnT-V or MGAT5). GnT-V is often abnormally upregulated and can be an indicator of a poor prognosis in cancer diagnoses, with N-glycans individually associated with diseases such as Alzheimer's, emphysema, diabetes and cancer. Understanding why and how GnT-V selects substrates may offer therapeutic solutions for diseases involving this enzyme.

Cervical cancer, one of the most common malignancies in women worldwide, is primarily driven by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Researchers from China have identified a new subtype of keratinocytes, designated as PI3+S100A7+ cells, that appear early in HPV-positive cervical cancer and interact closely with immune cells to promote tumor progression. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, the team discovered how these cells alter the tumor environment and predict poor patient outcomes.

Development in artificial intelligence has paved the path for the integration of computational pathology in clinical workflow, improving the accuracy and reducing the workload for medical practitioners. In recent times, Foundation Models (FMs), trained on large-scale, unlabelled datasets, are considered more suitable than traditional models for diverse clinical tasks. In a review study published in the Chinese Medical Journal, researchers highlight the advancements in pathological FMs and discuss their application in precision oncology.

Sir2, an enzyme belonging to sirtuins, has been effectively involved in the deacetylation of proteins. A tandem allosteric effect of reactant and product is responsible for the efficient deacetylation cycle of the Sir2 enzyme, reveal researchers from Science Tokyo. This finding reveals a new target for modulating Sir2, an enzyme that is essential for many biological processes, including aging, metabolic regulation, and cancer suppression. This finding could potentially lead to new therapeutic applications, including novel cancer treatments.

University of Freiburg researchers are involved in four funded projects. The University will receive a total of more than nine million euros.

The recipients of the grants are studying highly efficient solar cells, self-cleaning in body cells, the combination of diagnostics and therapy for cancer, and early medieval European communities.

The European Research Council (ERC) awards Synergy Grants to excellent international research teams.

According to “Global Cancer Statistics- 2022”, colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks third in incidence and second in cancer-related mortality. Given that approximately 50% of cases progress to metastasis and have an unfavorable prognostic rate, CRC represents a significant health and economic burden.