A physiology researcher believes a better understanding of the gut-brain connection can help explain dietary choices and lead to strategies for altering food preferences.

Obesity and cancer are two major health challenges of our time, yet the link between them remains only partially understood. New research now highlights a molecular chain of events in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, revealing how leptin, a hormone produced by fat cells, signals cancer cells to grow. This leads to increased activity of the enzyme stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), which fuels the growth and motility of cancer cells. The findings from a study in The American Journal of Pathology, published by Elsevier, provides insights into the obesity–breast cancer link and identifies potential new therapeutic targets to counter obesity-driven breast cancer progression.

UOsaka and MIT scientists revealed that the motor proteins KIF18A and CENP-E work together to align chromosomes during mitosis. Cancer cells with reduced CENP-E levels are especially sensitive to KIF18A inhibition, and dual inhibition of both proteins leads to efficient cell death. The discovery offers new insights into chromosome mechanics and a potential strategy for targeted cancer therapy.