In Science Translational Medicine this week, researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, and colleagues report a new technique, called deformability cytometry, that enables rapid mechanophenotyping of single cells in suspension at a throughput comparable to traditional flow cytometry. By squeezing cells in tiny, fluid-filled channels and tracking the way they change shape, the scientists were able to study the cells' deformability to distinguish malignant cells from non-cancerous ones at a rate far faster than with existing methods, opening the door to deformability cytometry use in the clinic.
Also in Science Translational Medicine, a group of researchers led by Massachusetts General Hospital scientists report that small, 8-nucleotide long antisense molecules could be safety used to target a family of microRNAs related to cholesterol metabolism in non-human primates. Conventional antisense molecules are around 16 nucleotides long and can only silence specific microRNAs while leaving related ones unaffected. But the investigators were able to use shortened ones to block all microRNAs in the same family without inducing toxicity in monkeys. Additionally, the treatment was able to lower levels of high-density lipoprotein, suggesting a therapeutic benefit.