Infant gut bacteria associated with food allergies

A study led by Hiroshi Ohno at the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS) recently showed that certain gut bacteria found in one-month-old infants are associated with food sensitivities and the development of food allergies, particularly to eggs, while other types of bacteria are not. The study also found factors that predicted which type of bacteria would be present in the guts of newly born babies.

Enzyme ALPK2: A therapeutic target for a lethal form of heart failure

Researchers from the Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine identified an enzyme, alpha-kinase 2 (ALPK2) that is specifically expressed in the heart. They found that the enzyme may prevent a stiff heart through activating the gene TPM1 in heart muscle fibers. ALPK2 is a promising new therapeutic target for the treatment of heart failure, especially heart failure with preserved ejection function (HFpEF). The work is published in The FASEB Journal.