Oocyte quality is the key limiting factor of female fertility. However, compared with other species, the research and understanding of human oocyte quality and human reproductive health is limited. This review will highlight the current understanding of the physiological and pathological factors on human oocyte quality and discuss the potential treatments. In physiology, researchers discuss the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, granulosa cells, key subcellular structures, maternal mRNA homeostasis, the extracellular matrix, maternal microenvironment, and multi-omics resources related to human oocyte quality. In pathology, they reviewed the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal defects, ovarian dysfunction including premature ovarian insufficiency and polycystic ovary syndrome, human oocyte development defects, and aging. Furthermore, they outline the emerging scientific prospects and challenges for future mechanisms exploration and clinical treatment. This review seeks to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms regulating human oocyte quality and to provide novel insights into clinical female infertility characterized by defects in oocyte quality and oocyte development.

Pathogenic bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus pose serious threats to public health. Addressing the growing concern of antimicrobial resistance, researchers at Pusan National University, Korea, have developed a novel drug delivery platform using engineered extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from Lacticaseibacillus paracasei. By displaying endolysins—enzymes that break down bacterial cell walls—on the EV surface, the team offers a promising new strategy to selectively eliminate harmful bacteria.  

Acute stroke in pregnancy and puerperium (ASPP) can be life-threatening and clinically difficult to manage. A new study by researchers in China presents a comprehensive research protocol to investigate the potential risk factors of ASPP, risk of recurrent strokes during future pregnancies and impact of ASPP on the development of offspring. This research provides a robust framework to gain vital insights into the maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with ASPP.

During therapy, some cancer cells evolve to escape elimination. Newer anticancer drugs that can overcome this resistance are necessary. Now, researchers from Japan demonstrate that aromatic benzaldehyde inhibits the growth of therapy-resistant pancreatic cancer. By preventing various signaling proteins and histone modifiers like Ser²⁸-phosphorylated histone H3 (H3S28ph) from binding to 14-3-3ζ protein, benzaldehyde overcomes therapy resistance and blocks plasticity to prevent the spread of cancer. These findings highlight its potential in cancer treatment.

Delayed complications following stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are rare and poorly understood. This case report describes a patient who developed cyst formation ten years after SRS, which later progressed to a chronic encapsulated expanding hematoma (CEEH). The study highlights a likely pathophysiological link between cyst formation and CEEH and emphasizes the importance of complete surgical removal to prevent recurrence and ensure long-term resolution of such late-onset complications.

The pilot work of the 10K Chinese People Genomic Diversity Project (10K_CPGDP) has uncovered a complex genetic admixture landscape and biological adaptations among ethno-linguistically diverse groups in the Silk Road region of China. In this study, 1,207 individuals from four linguistically diverse groups were sequenced or genotyped, and a population split between Northwest Chinese minority ethnic groups and Han Chinese dating back to the Upper Paleolithic period was observed. The research provides new insights into the genetic architecture and adaptative history of these groups, shedding light on their genomic and phenotypic diversity and the complex evolutionary influences on human disease and health.

Scientists have identified a subtype of immune cells that help advanced prostate cancer evade the body’s defenses. In mouse models, blocking a protein produced by those cells made tumors more responsive to immunotherapy, pointing to a potential new treatment approach. The study, with Shenglin Mei of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute among the corresponding authors, is featured on the July cover of Molecular Cancer Research.