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LncRNA Discovery: New Target for Chronic Limb Ischemia Treatment

by Dr. Michael Lee – Health Editor
written by Dr. Michael Lee – Health Editor

Novel RNA Target shows Promise for Treating Chronic Limb Ischemia

A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (Zhai, M., et al. 2025) has identified a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) called CARMN as a potential therapeutic target for chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), a condition where severely reduced blood flow to the limbs can lead to amputation. The research offers a fresh approach to stimulating blood vessel growth – a process known as angiogenesis – in CLTI patients,moving beyond previous unsuccessful attempts focused on growth factors.

Historically, clinical trials testing growth factors to improve blood flow in CLTI patients have failed to deliver positive results. This prompted researchers to investigate other factors present in skeletal muscle samples from CLTI patients compared to healthy controls. Surprisingly, the study revealed that differences weren’t found in growth factors, but in the expression of the lncRNA CARMN, which is uniquely expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells, not endothelial cells.

Researchers utilized transcriptomic profiling to identify CARMN in both human skeletal muscle biopsies adn mouse models of limb ischemia. Crucially, they developed a knockout mouse lacking the CARMN lncRNA.These mice exhibited impaired blood flow recovery, limb necrosis, and ultimately, amputation – mirroring the outcomes observed in CLTI patients with reduced CARMN expression.

The study pinpointed a key mechanism: CARMN regulates a protein called HHIP, produced by smooth muscle cells, which plays a critical role in blood vessel growth, blood flow, and tissue healing. blocking HHIP, or increasing the levels of a microRNA that controls HHIP, resulted in improved blood vessel growth and more effective tissue repair. This discovery highlights a previously unknown interaction between smooth muscle cells and blood vessel cells.

“HHIP appears to be the missing link, connecting whatS happening in smooth muscle cells (SMCs) to the effects we see in endothelial cells (ECs),” the researchers noted. Inhibition of HHIP or overexpression of a microRNA regulating HHIP was sufficient to fully restore angiogenesis, limb tissue perfusion, and repair in the mouse model.

The findings suggest new therapeutic strategies for CLTI and provide valuable insights into smooth muscle-endothelial cell communication during angiogenesis. Currently, the research team is investigating the reasons behind the decrease in CARMN levels when blood flow is restricted in the limbs, focusing on a potential target that may control CARMN expression under low oxygen conditions.The ultimate goal is to develop methods to boost CARMN levels, improve blood flow, and promote tissue healing, potentially benefiting individuals with peripheral artery disease and CLTI, as well as other heart and blood vessel problems.

Source: Zhai, M., et al. (2025). A smooth muscle cell lncRNA controls angiogenesis in chronic limb-threatening ischemia through miR-143-3p/HHIP signaling. Journal of Clinical Investigation. doi.org/10.1172/jci188559.

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Health

Brain’s ‘Body Map’ Remains Stable After Limb Amputation

by Dr. Michael Lee – Health Editor
written by Dr. Michael Lee – Health Editor

Brain’s ‘Body map’ Remains Intact Years After amputation,Study Finds

Table of Contents

PITTSBURGH,PA – ⁤In a surprising discovery that challenges long-held assumptions about brain plasticity,researchers at ​the University of⁤ pittsburgh have found that the brain’s internal depiction of the​ body remains largely unchanged even years after limb loss. The findings,⁤ published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, offer actionable insights into how the brain adapts-or doesn’t-to profound ‌physical changes.

The Persistent ‘Body Map’

For decades, neuroscientists believed that when a limb is lost, the brain areas previously dedicated to processing ⁢sensory details from‌ that limb are “reorganized,” wiht neighboring areas expanding to fill the void. This concept suggested a dynamic rewiring of the ‍somatosensory cortex,the region of the brain responsible for tactile perception. However, this new study casts⁢ doubt⁤ on that​ theory.

The somatosensory cortex maintains a precise “map” of the body, were adjacent body parts are represented by neighboring zones within the cortex. This visual representation is‌ crucial‌ for our sense of touch,spatial awareness,and motor control.

Did You Know?⁤ The somatosensory cortex isn’t⁤ just about touch; it also processes temperature, ​pain, and pressure.

How⁤ the study Was Conducted

The research team, led by neuroscientist Hunter, closely monitored ​three patients scheduled for arm amputations. Before surgery, participants underwent functional⁢ magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans while performing tasks like finger tapping⁤ and⁤ facial movements.These ​scans mapped which brain areas activated ‌in response to stimulation of the hand and ⁤other nearby body regions.

Following amputation, the patients repeated the fMRI tests, this time ⁢focusing on imagining⁣ movements of their “phantom” limbs. Surprisingly, the brain activity patterns remained remarkably consistent with the pre-amputation​ scans. The⁣ internal body ​map, it appears, was largely ‍preserved.

Key Study‌ data

Phase Procedure Key finding
Pre-Amputation fMRI scans during finger tapping & facial movements Established ⁣baseline brain activity for hand & ​surrounding areas
Post-Amputation fMRI scans during imagined phantom limb movements Brain activity patterns largely unchanged compared to‌ pre-amputation

Implications for Prosthetics and Rehabilitation

these findings have significant implications ⁢for the progress‍ of more complex prosthetic limbs.⁤ Understanding how the brain retains its internal‌ body map could lead to prosthetics that provide more natural and intuitive‍ sensory feedback.

Pro Tip: ‌Effective prosthetic integration relies ​on bridging the gap between the device and the brain’s existing⁣ neural pathways.

The research⁢ also challenges conventional rehabilitation strategies.If the brain doesn’t readily reorganize after amputation, interventions may need to focus on strengthening existing neural connections ‌and promoting adaptive plasticity rather⁢ than expecting complete rewiring.Could this mean a shift in how‍ we approach phantom limb ⁤pain management?

The ‍Brain’s Remarkable plasticity

While the study suggests the body map is surprisingly⁣ stable,it doesn’t ⁢negate the brain’s overall capacity for plasticity. Brain-computer interfaces (BCI)‍ have demonstrated‍ the potential to restore function ‍for individuals with severe disabilities, allowing them to control devices with their thoughts [[1]].⁢ This highlights the brain’s ability ⁢to adapt and ‌learn new skills, even in ‍the​ face⁢ of significant challenges.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Neuroplasticity Research

Ongoing research is exploring the factors that ‌influence brain plasticity, including age, genetics, and the nature of the injury.Scientists are also investigating the potential​ of⁣ non-invasive brain stimulation ⁣techniques to enhance plasticity and promote recovery after neurological damage. The field of neuroplasticity is rapidly evolving, offering ‍hope for new treatments for a wide⁤ range of conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions About Brain Plasticity and Amputation

  • What is brain plasticity? ‌ brain plasticity⁤ refers to the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout ⁢life.
  • Does the brain always reorganize after limb loss? This study suggests the brain’s‍ ‘body map’ is more stable than previously thought, challenging the idea of complete reorganization.
  • How can this research help prosthetic development? Understanding the brain’s internal​ map can lead to prosthetics that provide more natural sensory feedback and intuitive control.
  • What is the⁤ somatosensory cortex? The somatosensory cortex is the area ​of the brain responsible for processing ⁢sensory information from the body, including touch, temperature, and pain.
  • What are phantom limb sensations? Phantom limb sensations are the ​perception of sensations in a limb that has been amputated.

This research offers a compelling glimpse into the brain’s remarkable ‌resilience⁤ and adaptability. As we continue to unravel the mysteries‌ of​ neuroplasticity, we move closer to developing innovative therapies that can improve the⁣ lives of individuals affected by limb loss and other neurological conditions.

What are your thoughts on these findings? how might this⁣ research impact the future of prosthetic technology?

Share this article with your network and join the conversation!


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Health

Now also direct breast reconstruction with its own body tissue possible in OLVG

by Dr. Michael Lee – Health Editor
written by Dr. Michael Lee – Health Editor

Patients who have to undergo a breast amputation through breast cancer can go to OLVG since 2023 for a breast reconstruction through body’s own tissue, the so-called deep-lap. Then it was a secondary Reconstruction, in a separate operation after the amputation. Previously, patients had to be referred to other centers for these procedures. Now the entire breast cancer process, including the direct reconstruction within OLVG, can take place in a familiar environment.

Plastic surgeon Josien van der Meer: “For our patients it is a big step forward that they are no longer referred for this important operation, but can rightly rightly be in OLVG. The direct deep-lap offers many benefits for patients and outcome, and is also a wonderful expansion of our Mamma reconstructive palette.”

The intervention
In the deep-lap reconstruction, skin and fatty tissue of the lower abdomen is used to make a new breast. This feels more natural than a prosthesis reconstruction and is the body’s own. Under the microscope, blood vessels from the abdominal tissue are connected to barrels in the chest to provide the tissue with blood and prevent it from dying.

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Health

Sepsis Diagnosis Delays Pose Urgent Safety Risk: HSSIB

by Dr. Michael Lee – Health Editor
written by Dr. Michael Lee – Health Editor

Sepsis Diagnosis Delays Still Endanger UK Patients

A new report from the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) spotlights ongoing risks to NHS patients because of late or missed sepsis diagnoses. The independent body reviewed cases, revealing problems that impact patient care and outcomes across England’s healthcare system.

Serious Concerns Raised

The HSSIB warns that the tardy diagnosis of sepsis continues to be a significant and urgent patient safety concern for NHS patients. The report, examining three specific cases, reveals instances where patients suffered severe harm or even death due to delayed or incorrect sepsis diagnoses. These findings highlight clinicians’ persistent challenges in promptly identifying sepsis.

Issues in Patient Care

The HSSIB’s report pinpointed ten areas needing improvement. These recommendations, based on the reviewed cases, have broader implications for the NHS. The issues include inconsistent referral paths, communication gaps, and failure to spot early warning signs such as new-onset confusion or suspected infection.

“These reports show a consistent pattern of issues around the early recognition and treatment of sepsis,”

—Melanie Ottewill, Senior Safety Investigator at the HSSIB

One critical aspect is the recognition of sepsis symptoms, which vary greatly. The report also indicates that timely treatment hinges on swift diagnosis. The UK Sepsis Trust states that around 48,000 deaths are linked to sepsis each year in the UK. The report emphasizes that listening to families who express concerns about their loved ones is vital.

Challenges in Diagnosis

The cases investigated involved patients with various infections, including urinary tract infections, abdominal pain, and diabetic foot infections. Two of the patients tragically died. The third faced amputation and a lengthy recovery period. The report stresses that there isn’t a single reliable diagnostic tool for sepsis.

For example, in one case, a lack of consistent referral processes and limited information exchange between hospitals caused delayed diagnosis. Another revealed that a direct escalation route for deteriorating patients was missing, and nurses hesitated to start a sepsis screen without confirmed infection signs.

The Sepsis Alliance has reported that early recognition and treatment of sepsis can significantly improve patient outcomes, reducing mortality rates by as much as 50%. (Sepsis Alliance Stats)

Need for Standardized Treatment

Dr. Ron Daniels, founder and chief medical officer of the UK Sepsis Trust, underscored the urgency of prompt diagnosis and treatment. He also called for a standardized treatment plan, a “sepsis pathway,” to ensure that patients receive optimal care from initial symptoms to diagnosis.

Annie Lennon is a medical journalist.

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Health

New TEWL to Predict Diabetic Foot Ulcer Recurrence

by Dr. Michael Lee – Health Editor
written by Dr. Michael Lee – Health Editor

Diabetic Foot Ulcers: New Test Detects ‘Invisible’ Healing Issues

Breakthrough Measures Skin Barrier Function to Predict Re-Opening Risk

A novel approach to assessing diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) healing focuses not on how wounds *look*, but on what the skin subtly *reveals* – a measure of moisture loss that can predict whether an ulcer is truly closed or poised to re-open, potentially averting amputation.

Unveiling ‘Invisible Wounds’

Researchers led by Chandan K. Sen, PhD, MS, director of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, have developed a noninvasive tool to measure transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This assesses skin barrier function, identifying DFUs that appear healed but remain vulnerable beneath the surface.

The current US Food and Drug Administration definition of wound closure – intact skin with no drainage for two weeks – may be insufficient. Sen refers to these cases as “invisible wounds,” where impaired skin barrier function goes undetected. The new device quantifies water vapor escaping from the skin, providing an objective measure.

A Significant Problem

Approximately 31% of individuals with DFUs ultimately require amputation, and nearly half of those patients do not survive beyond five years. Ulcer recurrence is a major driver of this outcome, often occurring at the same site shortly after apparent closure.

According to the CDC, approximately 37.3 million Americans have diabetes, and 20% of those will develop a foot ulcer during their lifetime. CDC Data (2024)

“These findings echo previous calls in the literature to reframe wound healing as the beginning of remission rather than resolution.”

—Chandan K. Sen, PhD, MS

TEWL as a Predictor of Recurrence

In a study published in Diabetes Care, researchers used a handheld evaporimeter to measure water loss from DFUs that had achieved visual closure. Wounds with elevated TEWL values – indicating greater skin permeability – were significantly more likely to reopen compared to those with TEWL levels similar to healthy skin.

This physiologic marker offers a reproducible measure of skin barrier recovery, distinguishing between “cosmetically healed” wounds and those that are functionally sound. The TEWL approach emphasizes barrier restoration, not just epidermal reepithelialization.

Implications for Patient Care

The TEWL measurement could help clinicians determine which patients might benefit from continued offloading, advanced wound care dressings, or antimicrobial protection, even after a wound appears healed. This aligns with a growing trend toward long-term management and prevention in diabetic foot care.

Sen and his team suggest integrating TEWL as a complementary endpoint in both clinical care and regulatory definitions of healing. If validated in larger studies, TEWL could become a standard component of diabetic foot protocols, potentially reducing preventable amputations.

Ultimately, visual closure may be viewed as the start of a carefully monitored remission, guided by the subtle signal of water loss through the skin.

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Britain: MP’s arms and ft had been amputated because of septicemia – 2024-05-23 14:45:30
News

Britain: MP’s arms and ft had been amputated because of septicemia – 2024-05-23 14:45:30

by Chief editor of world-today-news.com
written by Chief editor of world-today-news.com

Over the previous eight months, the lifetime of British Conservative MP Craig Mackinlay has been turned the other way up. Mackinlay has no extra arms or legs!

On December 1, 2023, he went into surgical procedure for medical doctors to amputate all 4 of his limbs, as he had contracted septicemia. He’s now anticipated to return to Parliament and as he tells the BBC he needs to turn out to be the primary bionic MP as he now wears prosthetic limbs.

He introduced to his constituents final December that he was identified with sepsis in September 2023 and was positioned in an induced coma with a number of organ failure. He says he feels extraordinarily fortunate to be alive as he has undergone excessive surgical procedures.

@bbcnews Conservative MP Craig Mackinlay has spoken to the BBC about having his arms and ft amputated after contracting sepsis. #CraigMackinlay #Politics #UKPolitics #Conservatives #Amputation #Sepsis #SepsisAwareness #Westminster #Information #BBCNews ♬ authentic sound – BBC Information

The Chronicles

It was September 27, 2023 when 57-year-old Mackinlay started to really feel unwell. With out pondering a lot about it, he took a Covid check – which got here out damaging – and went to mattress early. In the course of the night time he felt very in poor health, however nonetheless didn’t suppose it was something critical.

Nonetheless his spouse Kati, a pharmacist, started to fret. He took his blood stress and temperature. By morning he observed that his arms had been chilly and he couldn’t really feel a pulse. After calling an ambulance Mr Mackinlay was admitted to hospital.

Inside half an hour he had turned all… blue. “My entire physique, prime to backside, ears, every little thing, blue,” he says.

He had gone into septic shock. The MP was put into a synthetic coma that may final 16 days. His spouse was instructed to organize for the worst, with workers describing the 57-year-old as “one of many sickest individuals they’d ever seen”. His possibilities of survival had been simply 5%.

At his spouse’s insistence, Mackinlay was transferred from the native hospital in Medway, Kent, to St Thomas’ in central London, instantly reverse his office in Parliament.

“I do know what useless issues appear to be”

He remembers little of what he went by means of however largely the unusual desires he had which he believes had been attributable to the morphine. As he recovered, the grim actuality started to overwhelm him.

When he awoke he remembers listening to speak about his arms and ft. “By then they had been black … you could possibly nearly hit them,” he says, likening them to the plastic of a cell phone.

The 57-year-old was not shocked when he was instructed they may need to be amputated. “I haven’t got a medical diploma, however I do know what useless issues appear to be. I used to be unexpectedly stoic… I do not know why I used to be. Possibly it was the cocktail of medication I used to be taking.”

His household tailored to the brand new actuality and most of all his four-year-old daughter, Olivia. “He tailored very simply… possibly higher than anybody else. I feel the children are adapting at a outstanding price,” he mentioned.

Return to work

He now has his sights set again on Westminster, the place after attending Prime Minister’s Questions, he’ll meet Rishi Sunak earlier than returning to his seat. And he’s decided to battle the subsequent election to proceed serving his Kent constituency.

“When kids come to the parliament training centre, I need them to drag on their mum or dad’s or their instructor’s jacket or skirt and say, ‘I wish to see the bionic MP right now’.”

“It’s totally simple to say – and I attempt to persist with it – that there is not any level in whining and complaining or being upset in regards to the issues you possibly can’t do. It’s a must to be completely satisfied and constructive in regards to the issues you are able to do and I discover that every single day there’s something new that I can do. None of this could have been doable with out my spouse… I would not be right here with out her,” he mentioned.


#Britain #MPs #arms #ft #amputated #due #septicemia

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