- 2017
- Press releases - 29.09.2017
Prenatal exposure to endocrine disruptors and behavioral problems in children
An epidemiological study carried out by Inserm on families from the EDEN cohort (500 boys born between 2003 and 2006 and their mothers) shows that exposure during pregnancy to certain phenols and phthalates is associated with behavioral problems in boys between 3 and 5 years of age. The most worrying compounds in this respect are bisphenol A, triclosan and dibutyl phthalate (DBP).
- Press releases - 28.09.2017
How do arteries protect themselves from atherosclerosis?
Associated with an aging population and the development of metabolic syndrome, atherosclerosis is a leading cause of death worldwide. Researchers from Inserm Unit 970, the “Paris Cardiovascular Research Center” (Inserm/Université Paris Descartes), have succeeded in revealing the mechanisms underlying the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. In particular, they have discovered the protective role of autophagy, a mechanism for cleaning and recycling cell components, in the cells that line the inner artery wall. These results, published in PNAS on September 25, 2017, provide us with an improved understanding of the initial stages of plaque development, and open up the possibility of developing a preventive treatment.
- Press releases - 27.09.2017
The Yin and Yang of Low-dose Irradiation on Hematopoiesis
A team of researchers from CEA, Inserm, and the Paris-Sud and Paris Diderot universities has shown that exposure to low doses of irradiation (0.02 Gy) leads of a loss of hematopoietic stem cell[1] (HSC) function. The team has also shown that irradiation at this low dose facilitates efficient bone marrow transplantation without myeloablation[2]. These results, published in Cell Reports on September 26, 2017, show both the positive and negative aspects of low doses of irradiation.
- Press releases - 22.09.2017
Maternal mortality: deaths from hemorrhage reduced but inequalities remain
Between 2010 and 2012, 256 women died in France from causes linked to pregnancy, labor, or following childbirth, amounting to 85 such cases a year. Although inequalities remain, improvements have been observed in the provision of labor care, with the death rate from hemorrhage halving. These epidemiological results have been made public by the triennial report of the Confidential Inquiry into Maternal Deaths (Enquête Confidentielle sur les Morts Maternelles, ENCMM) in regard to the period 2010-2012, which was led by Inserm’s EPOPé – “Obstetrical, Perinatal, and Pediatric Epidemiology Team” – at the Center of Research in Epidemiology and Statistics Sorbonne Paris Cité (CRESS, Unit 1153).
- Press releases - 21.09.2017
“Humanized” Mouse Model Developed to Study Hepatitis B Infection
The ANRS consortium “Humanized Mouse Models for Viral Hepatitis”1, made up of 6 teams of researchers, has developed a mouse model for studying the interaction between the immune system and the liver following infection by the hepatitis B virus. This research, coordinated by Dr. Hélène Strick-Marchand (Inserm joint unit 1223, “Physiopathology of the Immune System”, Institut Pasteur), responds to a real lack of animal models for studying this disease and thus opens up the possibilities for evaluating new therapeutic strategies. These results have been published in the journal Gastroenterology.
- Press releases - 20.09.2017
Usher syndrome: gene therapy restores hearing and balance
Scientists from the Institut Pasteur, Inserm, the CNRS, Collège de France, University Pierre et Marie Curie, and University Clermont Auvergne*, have recently restored hearing and balance in a mouse model of Usher syndrome type 1G (USH1G) characterized by profound congenital deafness and vestibular disorders caused by severe dysmorphogenesis of the mechanoelectrical transduction apparatus of the inner ear’s sensory cells. By locally injecting the USH1G gene, critical for the formation and maintenance of the hair bundle, the mechanosensory antenna of these cells, the scientists successfully restored the function and the structure of this apparatus, resulting in the first recovery of hearing and balance by gene therapy for this mouse model. These findings, published in the journal PNAS, open up new possibilities for the development of gene therapy treatments for hereditary forms of deafness.
- What's on? - 18.09.2017
Thursday, September 21, 2017: World Alzheimer’s Day
Organized by the France Alzheimer association, the 24th World Alzheimer’s Day will take place this Thursday, September 21. This year, the Alzheimer’s Village information center will be running for the 5th time in Paris (Place de la Bataille-de-Stalingrad), from September 21 to 24, 2017. There are currently 900,000 people affected by Alzheimer’s disease, or […]
- News in brief - 14.09.2017
Is Our Stubbornness Caused by Confirmation Bias?
The way in which people make decisions can sometimes seem reckless or even totally irrational. One explanation for this behavior is that humans tend to prefer information that confirms their beliefs and overlook that which contradicts them. This is a phenomenon called confirmation bias. In recent research published in PLoS Computational Biology, a team […]
- Press releases - 13.09.2017
Researchers Warn About Mixtures of Endocrine Disruptors During Pregnancy
A new study led by Inserm researchers from Irset, the Research Institute for Environmental and Occupational Health,[1] shows for the first time in humans that simultaneous exposure to endocrine disruptors exacerbates the effects observed from exposure to each chemical independently. This study focused principally on the human fetal testes and the potential consequences of these mixtures on development of the reproductive system, as the selected chemicals inhibited testosterone production. These results were published in Environmental Health Perspectives.
- Press releases - 12.09.2017
Regulating or Stimulating Our Antibodies Based on Our Immunological Needs Will Soon Be Possible
Clinician-researchers from the Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC) and Inserm, in collaboration with the Biological Therapy Department of the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital (AP-HP), have revealed a new mechanism for regulating antibody production. The results of this study were published in Science Immunology on Friday, September 8, 2017.