Cells “vomit” waste in a hidden healing shortcut that could also fuel cancer

Newly discovered purging process in gastric cells hints at how injury recovery can go wrong.

A new study from WashU Medicine identifies a previously unknown way that cells purge waste in a process that helps them revert to a stem cell-like state to promote healing after injury. Here, three mouse stomach cells (numbered) are shown jettisoning cellular debris through cavities (white) that form in their membranes. The researchers dubbed the new purging process “cathartocytosis,” combining Greek root words meaning cellular cleansing. 

When injured, cells have well-regulated responses to promote healing. These include a long-studied self-destruction process that cleans up dead and damaged cells as well as a more recently identified phenomenon that helps older cells revert to what appears to be a younger state to help grow back healthy tissue.

Now, a new study in mice led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Baylor College of Medicine reveals a previously unknown cellular purging process that may help injured cells revert to a stem cell-like state more rapidly. The investigators dubbed this newly discovered response cathartocytosis, taking from Greek root words that mean cellular cleansing.

Published online in the journal Cell Reports, the study used a mouse model of stomach injury to provide new insights into how cells heal, or fail to heal, in response to damage, such as from an infection or inflammatory disease.

"After an injury, the cell's job is to repair that injury. But the cell's mature cellular machinery for doing its normal job gets in the way," said first author Jeffrey W. Brown, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology at WashU Medicine. "So, this cellular cleanse is a quick way of getting rid of that machinery so it can rapidly become a small, primitive cell capable of proliferating and repairing the injury. We identified this process in the GI tract, but we suspect it is relevant in other tissues as well."

Brown likened the process to a "vomiting" or jettisoning of waste that essentially adds a shortcut, helping the cell declutter and focus on regrowing healthy tissues faster than it would be able to if it could only perform a gradual, controlled degradation of waste.

As with many shortcuts, this one has potential downsides: According to the investigators, cathartocytosis is fast but messy, which may help shed light on how injury responses can go wrong, especially in the setting of chronic injury. For example, ongoing cathartocytosis in response to an infection is a sign of chronic inflammation and recurring cell damage that is a breeding ground for cancer. In fact, the festering mess of ejected cellular waste that results from all that cathartocytosis may also be a way to identify or track cancer, according to the researchers.

A novel cellular process

The researchers identified cathartocytosis within an important regenerative injury response called paligenosis, which was first described in 2018 by the current study's senior author, Jason C. Mills, MD, PhD. Now at the Baylor College of Medicine, Mills began this work while he was a faculty member in the Division of Gastroenterology at WashU Medicine and Brown was a postdoctoral researcher in his lab.

In paligenosis, injured cells shift away from their normal roles and undergo a reprogramming process to an immature state, behaving like rapidly dividing stem cells, as happens during development. Originally, the researchers assumed the decluttering of cellular machinery in preparation for this reprogramming happens entirely inside cellular compartments called lysosomes, where waste is digested in a slow and contained process.

From the start, though, the researchers noticed debris outside the cells. They initially dismissed this as unimportant, but the more external waste they saw in their early studies, the more Brown began to suspect that something deliberate was going on. He utilized a model of mouse stomach injury that triggered the reprogramming of mature cells to a stem cell state all at once, making it obvious that the "vomiting" response -- now happening in all the stomach cells simultaneously -- was a feature of paligenosis, not a bug. In other words, the vomiting process was not just an accidental spill here and there but a newly identified, standard way cells behaved in response to injury.

Although they discovered cathartocytosis happening during paligenosis, the researchers said cells could potentially use cathartocytosis to jettison waste in other, more worrisome situations, like giving mature cells that ability to start to act like cancer cells.

The downside to downsizing

While the newly discovered cathartocytosis process may help injured cells proceed through paligenosis and regenerate healthy tissue more rapidly, the tradeoff comes in the form of additional waste products that could fuel inflammatory states, making chronic injuries harder to resolve and correlating with increased risk of cancer development.

"In these gastric cells, paligenosis -- reversion to a stem cell state for healing -- is a risky process, especially now that we've identified the potentially inflammatory downsizing of cathartocytosis within it," Mills said. "These cells in the stomach are long-lived, and aging cells acquire mutations. If many older mutated cells revert to stem cell states in an effort to repair an injury -- and injuries also often fuel inflammation, such as during an infection -- there's an increased risk of acquiring, perpetuating and expanding harmful mutations that lead to cancer as those stem cells multiply."

More research is needed, but the authors suspect that cathartocytosis could play a role in perpetuating injury and inflammation in Helicobacter pylori infections in the gut. H. pylori is a type of bacteria known to infect and damage the stomach, causing ulcers and increasing the risk of stomach cancer.

The findings also could point to new treatment strategies for stomach cancer and perhaps other GI cancers. Brown and WashU Medicine collaborator Koushik K. Das, MD, an associate professor of medicine, have developed an antibody that binds to parts of the cellular waste ejected during cathartocytosis, providing a way to detect when this process may be happening, especially in large quantities. In this way, cathartocytosis might be used as a marker of precancerous states that could allow for early detection and treatment.

"If we have a better understanding of this process, we could develop ways to help encourage the healing response and perhaps, in the context of chronic injury, block the damaged cells undergoing chronic cathartocytosis from contributing to cancer formation," Brown said.

 

Summary:

Scientists have uncovered a surprising new healing mechanism in injured cells called cathartocytosis, in which cells "vomit" out their internal machinery to revert more quickly to a stem cell-like state. While this messy shortcut helps tissues regenerate faster, it also leaves behind debris that can fuel inflammation and even cancer. 

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement
https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com   is the latest addition to my blogs

 

Blue Light May Help Heal Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Early morning blue light exposure therapy may aid the healing process of people impacted by mild traumatic brain injury, according to a study. Mild traumatic brain injuries, or concussions, are often the result of falls, car accidents and sports participation. Among other threats, military personnel can also experience mTBI from exposure to explosive blasts.

"Daily exposure to blue wavelength light each morning helps to re-entrain the circadian rhythm so that people get better, more regular sleep," said William D. Killgore, a psychiatry professor at the University of Arizona in the US. "This is likely true for everybody, but we recently demonstrated it in people recovering from mild traumatic brain injury, or mTBI.

"That improvement in sleep was translated into improvements in cognitive function, reduced daytime sleepiness and actual brain repair," Killgore said. Shockwaves strike the soft tissue of the gut, and push a burst of pressure into the brain, causing microscopic damage to blood vessels and brain tissue, Killgore said.

Those with a concussion or mTBI might momentarily become disoriented, or even briefly lose consciousness following the injury. However, loss of consciousness doesn't always happen and many people who sustain a concussion are able to walk it off without realising they have a mild brain injury, according to Killgore.

Few effective treatments for mTBI exist, according to the study published in the journal Neurobiology of Disease. "About 50 per cent of people with mTBI also complain that they have sleep problems after an injury," Killgore said.

Recent research has shown that the brain repairs itself during sleep, so Killgore and his co-authors sought to determine if improved sleep led to a faster recovery. In a randomised clinical trial, adults with mTBI used a cube-like device that shines bright blue light -- with a peak wavelength of 469 nanometre -- at participants from their desk or tables for 30 minutes early each morning for six weeks.

Control groups were exposed to bright amber light, the researchers said. "Blue light suppresses brain production of a chemical called melatonin," Killgore said.

"You don't want melatonin in the morning because it makes you drowsy and prepares the brain to sleep. When you are exposed to blue light in the morning, it shifts your brain's biological clock so that in the evening, your melatonin will kick in earlier and help you to fall asleep and stay asleep," Killgore said. People get the most restorative sleep when it aligns with their natural circadian rhythm of melatonin -- the body's sleep-wake cycle associated with night and day.

"If we can get you sleeping regularly, at the same time each day, that's much better because the body and the brain can more effectively coordinate all these repair processes," he said. As a result of the blue light treatment, participants fell asleep and woke an average of one hour earlier than before the trial and were less sleepy during the daytime, researchers said.

Participants improved their speed and efficiency in brain processing, and showed an increase in volume in the pulvinar nucleus, an area of the brain responsible for visual attention. Neural connections and communication flow between the pulvinar nucleus and other parts of the brain that drive alertness and cognition were also strengthened, the researchers said.

"We think we're facilitating brain healing by promoting better sleep and circadian alignment, and as these systems heal, these brain areas are communicating with each other more effectively. "That could be what's translating into improvements in cognition and less daytime sleepiness," Killgore said.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement 

Rose Water: Health and Beauty Benefits

Rose water is one of those products many of us know about, but aren't sure how to use. You probably saw it in store a few times, and you may even know that it's an ingredient you can use in desserts, but what the vast majority of people don't realize is that rose water is a real multitasker, capable of making your skin become healthier, younger and more radiant, but also to lift your mood after a stressful day, soothe a sore throat and even help with digestive issues. If you'd like to learn more on how to use rose water, what it's good for and even how to prepare it at home, simply continue reading. 

What is Rose Water?

Roses aren’t just nice in gardens or bouquets, they have been an essential medicinal, cosmetic and even ritualistic ingredient since ancient times. Rose water specifically is an ancient recipe of flavored water made of Damask rose petals steeped in water or distilled with steam.

This technique is believed to come from ancient Persia, but ancient Greeks and Romans likewise used rose water for a variety of purposes. A scarce resource in the olden days, rose water turned into a widely available product today.

Rose water shouldn't be confused with rose oil or rose-hips, both of which are remarkable in their own right but aren't quite the same as rose water. Rose water is a by-product of the production of rose oil, which is more concentrated and has somewhat different uses, whereas rose-hips are the fruit of the dog rose plant, which is a different species of rose altogether.

How to Use Rose Water

Traditionally, rose water has been used as a skincare product and a soothing remedy, but also as a frequent feature in several dessert and drink recipes, such as puddings, cakes, sherbet, and herbal teas. Rose water is used to prepare rose syrup and rose jelly as well, both of which are popular confectioner’s ingredients.

You can apply rose water on a cotton pad a swipe across your face as a hydrating toner. Finally, you can also transfer the rose water into a mister bottle and spray to rehydrate your skin or on your pillow or clothing to relieve stress and lift your mood.

Using rose water in cooking and topically is associated with a multitude of health benefits, which is exactly what we’ll discuss next.

1. Soothes Skin Redness, Irritation, and Acne

Rose water is frequently used in cosmetic products as an ingredient that can help lower the inflammation in the skin. Rose water is very mild and can even be used by those suffering from inflammatory skin conditions, such as eczema, rosacea, acne or psoriasis to soothe and decrease the redness in their skin.

Rose water also has some antimicrobial effects, making it a great choice for acne-prone skin. But everyone’s skin, regardless of your age or skin concerns, can benefit from the soothing and hydrating properties of rose water, so just use it before you apply a moisturizer on clean skin and you’ll see how your skin becomes more balanced, less puffy, dry, red or inflamed over time.

2. Has Anti Aging Benefits

Apart from being capable of soothing the skin, rose water is full of antioxidants, making it an excellent choice for aging skin. The antioxidants in rose water will protect skin cells from UV damage, pollution and free radicals, all of which contribute to the development of fine lines and wrinkles.

That’s exactly why you frequently see rose oil, rose water and other ingredients derived from roses in skincare products intended for mature skin. The only thing is that these products can be quite expensive, so if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, rose water may be a good choice for you.

3. Improves a Sore Throat

A sore and inflamed throat can be remedied by a rinse with rose water, which has known anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that can help soothe the lining of the throat.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that rose water can replace the treatment prescribed by your doctor, but it’s a good extra remedy to keep in mind. One study also showed that it can release muscle tension in one’s throat, so it might even help relieve a hoarse voice.

4. Promotes Eye Health

Rose water is frequently added to products as an antiseptic, particularly to eye drops and has been shown to prevent and treat irritation and infections. These drops are used to relieve the uncomfortable symptoms and pain that come with eye conditions like conjunctivitis, dry eye, as well as degenerative conditions, e.g. some types of cataract.

We don’t recommend using kitchen or cosmetic grade rose water as eye drops, however, as these types of rose water may not be safe for your eyes. Rose water eye drops intended for the eye area, on the other hand, undergo additional clarification and can be safely used in your eyes.

5. Heals Small Cuts and Burns

The antiseptic properties don’t just help heal acne or inflammatory skin conditions, you can use it to clean and make small burns, cuts, including razor burn, heal faster. Some people also swear by rose water to help decrease the appearance of scars.

6. Relieves Headaches and Fights Stress

We can all benefit from a little de-stressing, and rose water has been shown to relieve the effects of stress, help stress-related headaches and boost one’s mood. This may be due to the pleasant scent of roses, which can have an overall calming and relaxing effect on your brain and central nervous system altogether.

Rose inhalations and compresses soaked in rose water are even sometimes used as an extra treatment to relieve anxiety and depression.

7. Boosts Digestion and Relieves Constipation 

For millennia, rose water has been used to both help an upset stomach and treat bloating. Studies show that this may be because consuming rose water promotes bile secretion. Apart from that, ingesting rose water may have a laxative effect, which makes it a good choice in relieving constipation.

How to Make Rose Water at Home

Rose water is available in stores, but if you want to try to make your own rose water at home, you can follow this quick and easy recipe. But before you run into your rose garden and start plucking rose leaves, keep in mind that not all roses are edible and suitable to make rose water.

First of all, the roses have to be pesticide-free, preferably organic, and fresh. The three edible rose species are Rosa damascena, Rosa centifolia, and Rosa gallica, pictures of which you can find above.

The preparation is actually quite simple. Simply place 1 packed cup (only about 2 grams) of fresh rose petals into a glass jar, then pour 2 cups (473 ml) of boiling distilled water over them, cover with a lid and steep until cool. Then strain the liquid and keep sealed in a sterilized jar in the fridge.

You will be able to use this liquid both for cosmetic purposes and in cooking, but we don't recommend using it as eye drops or to treat open wounds because homemade rose water is not sterile.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.      https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations   https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes     https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

The Benefits of LLLT In Treating Chronic Pain

Dealing with chronic pain can be more debilitating than the pain itself and can often feel like being in a prison without a solution. However, recent advances have suggested a few ways to deal, and even cure, chronic pain. Fortunately, the LLLT method (Low-Level Laser Therapy), a method that doesn't require chemical intervention such as pills or injections.
Treating the pain and healing the inflammation Chronic pain is typically defined as long-term pain, lasting more than 12 weeks. Often, it is dealt with by taking pills to combat the pain. But pills only increase the problem and don’t treat the issue at the source, rather they are treating symptoms. Moreover, we all know there are many side effects accompanying them, which can cause serious addiction issues, stomach trouble, liver problems and more.
Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) is a breakthrough technology and is used worldwide. It offers the power of professional lasers used in clinics in a lightweight, portable device that anyone can use at home to treat chronic pain. It is a low-level laser therapy (LLLT) that works on the skin’s surface, while simultaneously penetrating deep through the skin tissue with no heating effect and without damaging the skin.
The idea is to reduce the production of inflammatory mediators and cause symptoms of inflammation, like redness, swelling and pain - to gradually disappear. Instead of chemicals, it is a process of accelerated healing of the affected area occurs, using natural, self-healing properties of the body.
How Does LLLT Work? Reducing Pain: Low-Level Laser is a soft laser treatment that arouses and stimulates the body’s natural healing mechanisms by stimulating cellular activity, reinforcing intercellular communication and stimulating the blood flow. This stimulation releases endorphin, which are the natural hormones produced by the brain, thus relieving pain. These endorphins reduce the intensity of the pain, resulting in the natural healing mechanism of the body.
Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) works at the cellular level by accelerating the body’s natural healing mechanisms. The effects of low-level laser therapy are photochemical. Cells in the body have light-sensitive chemicals called cytochromes.  These chemicals are located in energy compartments in the cell called mitochondria. 
Holding the laser device directly on the skin over the injured area for a period of several minutes, a beam of light penetrates the tissue into muscles and joints.
When LLLT light penetrates deep into tissue it stimulates the cytochromes in the mitochondria to produce a natural chemical compound known as ATP (adenosine triphosphate). ATP stores the energy that fuels the body’s cells and heals tissue. The increased production of ATP brings oxygen-rich blood to the injured area, reducing stress and accelerating healing. As tissue is repaired, the patient experiences pain relief and reduced inflammation.

Healing at the Source: Most often, pain is a result of pressure on the nerve fibers, causing swelling, edema, and inflammation around the affected area. The Laser enlarges the blood and lymphatic vessels and releases the pressure on the nerve. Reduction of the pressure leads to reducing the level of pain while allowing the blood and lymphatic vessels to pump the energy needed to heal the affected area.
* It's important to note that every patient and medical condition is unique and not all patients and conditions will respond to LLLT in the same way.

Benefits of LLLT Therapy The soft Laser therapy has been proven in more than 2,000 studies in treating pain in areas such as: neck, back, shoulder, elbow & wrist, knees, ankle, heel and more. Here are a few of the benefits:
1. Safe and Easy to Use. The LLLT devices sold were specifically designed for at-home use and are simple to operate. The laser is 100% safe to use and classified as a Laser Class 1 type.
Convenient. Unlike other laser treatments that require multiple trips to the doctor, these laser devices can be used in the convenience of your own home.

2. No Side Effects. Each treatment is natural and non-invasive with absolutely no side effects and no damage to tissues.
No Addictive Medication. Stop taking addictive pills and medication and start using soft laser device, non-addictive therapy.
Important note for patients: Information on this website is not intended as medical advice, nor should it be relied on for self-diagnosis. Always seek advice from a health professional about your particular pain or injury to understand if low-level laser therapy is the best treatment for you.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                         FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                  https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/           

                   FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                  https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com