A Chinese Medical Journal study reveals Rhein, a rhubarb-derived compound, protects against severe acute pancreatitis-associated intestinal injury by activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) to suppress NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and reprogram macrophage polarization from pro-inflammatory M1 to anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype. Rhein restored intestinal barrier integrity and reduced endotoxemia—effects abolished by PPARγ inhibition. This identifies the PPARγ/NLRP3/macrophage axis as a promising therapeutic target for SAP complications.

A new study shows that a simple measurement from routine chest X-rays can help predict survival among patients with lung cancer and breathing disorders. Researchers found that lower diaphragmatic dome height (DDH) before surgery was associated with poorer long-term outcomes and higher respiratory-related deaths. This is the first study to establish DDH as a practical prognostic marker, offering a low-cost, widely accessible way to identify high-risk patients and guide treatment decisions.

An epigenetic mechanism by which tumors manage to hide from the body’s immune defences has just been described by an international scientific team led by the University of Liège and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. These findings open up avenues for new therapeutic strategies combining epigenetics and immunotherapy.