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Immune cells in the brain may tune fertility hormones, animal study suggests

The kick-off signal for puberty begins in the brain. Specifically, in the hypothalamus, where specific neurons release a hormone that activates the hypophysis, at the base of the skull, which then releases other hormones to start gonad—ovaries or testicles—maturation. This mechanism leading to a fertile organism is the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis.

A study by Spain’s National Cancer Research Center (CNIO) has discovered in animal models that two previously unsuspected elements are also involved in this hormone regulating system: microglia—defensive cells of the nervous system—and the protein RANK, which contributes to bone remodeling and is essential in the functioning of the mammary glands.

The work is published in the journal Science. It is led by Eva González-Suárez, head of the CNIO Transformation and Metastasis Group, who discovered in 2010 the key role played by RANK in the development of breast cancer. The first author is Alejandro Collado, a researcher from the same group and co-corresponding author.

Pluripotent stem-based screening uncovers sildenafil as a mitochondrial disease therapy

Now online! Leigh syndrome is a severe and untreatable mitochondrial disease. Using patient-derived models in 2D and 3D, Zink and colleagues identify the PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil as a repurposable drug candidate, leading to lifespan extension in mammalian models and clinical improvement in six individuals with Leigh syndrome.

Insulin Receptor Signaling in Normal and Insulin-Resistant States

In the wake of the worldwide increase in type-2 diabetes, a major focus of research is understanding the signaling pathways impacting this disease. Insulin signaling regulates glucose, lipid, and energy homeostasis, predominantly via action on liver, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue. Precise modulation of this pathway is vital for adaption as the individual moves from the fed to the fasted state. The positive and negative modulators acting on different steps of the signaling pathway, as well as the diversity of protein isoform interaction, ensure a proper and coordinated biological response to insulin in different tissues. Whereas genetic mutations are causes of rare and severe insulin resistance, obesity can lead to insulin resistance through a variety of mechanisms.

Reshaping the colorectal cancer immune microenvironment: insights from single-cell and spatial omics

Zhang, S., Fu, Q., Yuan, X. et al. Reshaping the colorectal cancer immune microenvironment: insights from single-cell and spatial omics. Cancer Cell Int (2026). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12935-026-04245-y.

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A Phase 1 Dose-Escalation Trial of Reirradiation for Patients With Recurrent Glioblastoma

New in practicalRO: radonc.

A dose-escalation trial of reirradiation (reRT) was conducted in patients with a diagnosis of recurrent glioblastoma (rGBM) to increase the total overall dose given to the tumor without increasing toxicity. The primary objective of this study was to establish the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) for reRT in patients with rGBM.

New strategy intercepts pancreatic cancer by eliminating microscopic lesions before they become cancer

A new preclinical study in mice shows that precancerous cells in the pancreas can be eliminated before they have the chance to become tumors. Using an experimental therapy to target microscopic precancerous lesions in the pancreas nearly doubled survival in mouse models of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) compared to the same treatment given after cancer developed.

The research, published in Science, was led by physician-scientists in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center. It’s the first time scientists have shown that a medical intervention could stop growth of pre-cancerous lesions in the pancreas before they develop into pancreatic cancer, providing strong evidence for the burgeoning field of cancer interception.

“I’m convinced that cancer interception will become the next frontier of cancer therapy,” said co-corresponding author Robert Vonderheide, MD, DPhil, director of the Abramson Cancer Center.

Rates of Unbalanced Chromosome Rearrangements Associated with Pericentric and Paracentric Inversions: Analysis of Molecular Chromosome Results in Embryo Samples

PGT-SR reveals that even small pericentric and paracentric inversions carry a small but measurable reproductive risk, challenging assumptions of minimal impact in IVF outcomes.

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Short‐Term Care Burden After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation and Heart Transplant in the United States

How does the short-term care burden compare between heart transplants and LVADs? LVADs have higher upfront costs and longer stays; heart transplant recipients incur greater rehospitalization costs over time. @mogga72553 @HartfordHealthC

BackgroundHeart transplant (HT) and left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are treatment options for advanced heart failure refractory to standard therapy. Historically, LVADs have been used as either destination therapy or a bridge to transplant. However, recent changes to the organ allocation system have deprioritized patients on LVADs as transplant recipients, leading to divisive views on the role of an LVAD. The comparative short‐term care burden with each modality remains unclear.

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