Soochow University

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 18, 2024 -- Habitual coffee or caffeine intake is associated with a lower risk for new-onset cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CM), according to a study published online Sept. 17 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism . Xujia Lu, from the Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University in China, and colleagues examined the association of coffee, tea, and caffeine intake with CM, defined as the coexistence of at least two of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and stroke. The study involved 172,315 participants (caffeine analysis) and 188,091 (coffee and tea analysis) participants free of any cardiometabolic diseases at baseline. Among 88,204 and 96,393 participants, 168 metabolites were measured. The researchers observed a nonlinear inverse association of coffee, tea, and caffeine intake with the risk for new-onset CM. Consumers of a moderate amount of coffee (three drinks/day) or caffeine (200 to 300 mg/day) had the lowest risk for new-onset CM compared with nonconsumers or consumers of less than 100 mg caffeine/day, with hazard ratios of 0.519 and 0.593, respectively. Inverse associations were seen for moderate coffee or caffeine intake with the risks for almost all developmental stages of CM, including transitions from a disease-free state to single cardiometabolic diseases and subsequently to CM. Associations with both coffee, tea, or caffeine intake and incident CM were seen for 80 to 97 metabolites, including lipid components within very low-density lipoprotein, histidine, and glycoprotein acetyls. "The findings highlight that promoting moderate amounts of coffee or caffeine intake as a dietary habit to healthy people might have far-reaching benefits for the prevention of CM," the authors write.

TUESDAY, July 9, 2024 -- For childhood cancer survivors, there are racial and ethnic disparities in epigenetic age acceleration (EAA), which are partially mediated by social determinants of health (SDOH), according to a study published online July 2 in JAMA Network Open . Cheng Chen, from The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University in Suzhou, China, and colleagues compared non-Hispanic Black to non-Hispanic White survivors of childhood cancer by examining the associations of EAA with cancer treatment exposures and mediating roles of SDOH in a cross-sectional study. Data were included for 1,706 survivors, including 230 and 1,476 non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White survivors, respectively. The researchers found that EAA was significantly greater among non-Hispanic Black versus non-Hispanic White survivors (adjusted least-square means [ALSM], 1.41 and 0.47, respectively). Among non-Hispanic Black survivors, EAA was significantly increased among those exposed versus unexposed to chest radiotherapy (ALSM, 2.82 versus 0.46); among those exposed versus unexposed to alkylating agents (ALSM, 2.33 versus 0.95); and among those exposed versus unexposed to epipodophyllotoxins (ALSM, 2.83 versus 0.44). The association with epipodophyllotoxins differed by race and ethnicity (β, 2.39 and 0.68 years for non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White survivors, respectively). Educational attainment and socioeconomic area deprivation index mediated racial and ethnic disparities in EAA (mediation, 22.71 and 22.16 percent, respectively). "This finding suggests that changes in the social support system at both the personal and community levels may mitigate socioeconomic disadvantages that may contribute to the development of an aging phenotype," the authors write. Abstract/Full Text Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

SUZHOU, China, March 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NeuExcell Therapeutics, a leading biotechnology company focused on in vivo neural regenerative therapies, announces the successful dosing of the first patient with the first-in-class NeuroD1 gene therapy product NXL-004. This milestone represents significant progress in the development of new treatment for malignant glioma patients. Led by Professor Yulun Huang and his team at the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University in Suzhou, China, the investigator-initiated trial (IIT) will evaluate the safety and tolerability of NeuExcell's AAV-NeuroD1 gene therapy product NXL-004 in patients with glioblastoma. This clinical study marks the first clinical use of AAV-NeuroD1 gene therapy to treat patients worldwide. Glioblastoma is a highly aggressive form of brain cancer with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. NXL-004, based on NeuExcell's revolutionary in vivo trans-differentiation technology platform, aims to inhibit tumor cell proliferation and promote their transformation into neural cells through the overexpression of the NeuroD1 transcription factor. The advantage of this glioma cell trans-differentiation approach is minimal side-effect on other brain cells, which is distinct from radiation or chemotherapy that has collateral damage on healthy cells. Promising preclinical results from animal model studies have paved the way for this groundbreaking clinical trial, offering hope for many patients suffering from debilitating brain disorders such as malignant glioma. "We are very excited about completing the dosing of the first patient using NeuroD1 gene therapy product NXL-004 in this exploratory clinical study," said Dr. Yulun Huang, the study's lead investigator. "This milestone underscores the dedication of our team to try innovative approaches in addressing unmet medical needs such as glioblastoma. We are committed to closely monitor the patient and evaluate the safety and efficacy of NXL-004 in this trial." Professor Gong Chen, the inventor of in vivo neural regenerative gene therapy and the founder of NeuExcell Therapeutics, expressed his gratitude: "We are grateful to Professor Yulun Huang and his team for their outstanding work. This first-in-human trial sets an important milestone for our first-in-class NeuroD1 gene therapy that has the potential to treat millions of patients suffering from severe neurological disorders. We are dedicated to developing game-changing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases using in vivo neural regenerative therapies." About NeuExcell Therapeutics: NeuExcell Therapeutics is a leading biotechnology company focused on developing innovative neural regenerative therapies to address unmet medical needs in the field of neurodegenerative diseases and cancers. NeuExcell is committed to revolutionizing the field of CNS drug development and improving outcomes for patients worldwide.