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Mouse Study Finds Circadian Rhythm-Related Gene Expression Changes Linked to Sleep Apnea

Researchers reporting in PLOS Biology present findings from a transcriptome sequencing analysis of several tissue and organ types tested over time in mouse models of obstructive sleep apnea. The team, led by Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine investigators, used RNA sequencing to profile gene expression, transcription factor targets, and microRNAs in liver, lung, kidney, muscle, heart, and cerebellum samples collected over the course of 24 hours in the mouse model, highlighting tissue-specific changes associated with the intermittent hypoxia that occurs during obstructive sleep apnea. "The mechanisms that become dysregulated after periods of exposure to [intermittent hypoxia] are unclear, particularly in the early stages of disease," the authors explain. Among other findings, for example, they found that "transcriptomic changes within cardiopulmonary tissues were more affected by [intermittent hypoxia] than other tissues," while the study's results more broadly "demonstrate a relationship between early exposure to [intermittent hypoxia] and changes in specific physiological outcomes."

The Scan

Positive Framing of Genetic Studies Can Spark Mistrust Among Underrepresented Groups

Researchers in Human Genetics and Genomics Advances report that how researchers describe genomic studies may alienate potential participants.

Small Study of Gene Editing to Treat Sickle Cell Disease

In a Novartis-sponsored study in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that a CRISPR-Cas9-based treatment targeting promoters of genes encoding fetal hemoglobin could reduce disease symptoms.

Gut Microbiome Changes Appear in Infants Before They Develop Eczema, Study Finds

Researchers report in mSystems that infants experienced an enrichment in Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and Finegoldia and a depletion of Bacteroides before developing eczema.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment Specificity Enhanced With Stem Cell Editing

A study in Nature suggests epitope editing in donor stem cells prior to bone marrow transplants can stave off toxicity when targeting acute myeloid leukemia with immunotherapy.