From immunosuppression to active tolerance: the evolving paradigm of regulatory T cell therapy in organ transplantation
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 19-May-2026 14:16 ET (19-May-2026 18:16 GMT/UTC)
How can transplant recipients achieve donor-specific immune tolerance without lifelong reliance on broad-spectrum immunosuppression? A new comprehensive review led by Professor Xiao-kang Li at the National Center for Child Health and Development in Japan systematically synthesizes breakthroughs in Treg-based therapies for organ transplantation, delineates the core mechanisms by which Tregs mediate immune tolerance, compares immunological differences across liver, kidney, and heart transplantation, and charts the future direction of next-generation precision cell therapies.
A recent review published in Science Bulletin outlines the evolving landscape of metabolic dysfunction‑associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), emphasizing a suite of non-invasive genetic, metabolic and microbial markers that improve disease detection and prognosis, and summarising the clinical significance of the recent FDA‑approved drugs, resmetirom and semaglutide, along with a robust pipeline of late‑stage therapeutics. Crucially, the review addresses the substantial hurdles to clinical translation in newly developed biomarkers, including validation, standardization, and cost, and proposes a roadmap for translating these scientific advances into effective, personalized patient care.
For decades, physicians and scientists thought metformin, the leading Type 2 diabetes medication taken by millions worldwide, mainly targets the liver to suppress glucose production. But a new Northwestern University study in mice has found this “wonder drug” instead focuses primarily on the gut, acting to prevent glucose levels rising in the blood by driving glucose utilization inside cells lining the intestine.
The study found metformin slows mitochondrial energy production in gut cells, forcing the intestine to metabolize extra sugar.
The findings also reveal unexpected parallels with berberine, a popular plant-derived, over-the-counter supplement often used to control blood sugar. Berberine has recently gained attention on social media as “nature’s Ozempic,” though experts caution that evidence is still limited, and it should not be used as a substitute for approved medications. The study found berberine appears to engage the same pathway as metformin in the intestine.
“Metformin has decades of clinical evidence behind it, whereas supplements like berberine are far less rigorously tested,” Chandel said. “If you're going to use berberine, you may as well use the real deal.”
Don't rush into braces if you have a jaw and crooked teeth issue. This study reveals that while proper orthodontics can help a healthy jaw joint, incorrect treatment can worsen disc displacement and even cause bone loss. Simply using splints often leads to high relapse rates. The experts recommend a "Sequential Strategy": first surgically reposition the disc, then perform orthodontic treatment. This approach aims to fix the joint first to ensure stable, long-term results for both your bite and facial appearance.
Now in its 28th year, the European Congress of Endocrinology (ECE) 2026 commences on Saturday 9 May and runs until Tuesday 12 May. The Congress will bring together endocrine specialists from across Europe and the rest of the world to meet, collaborate and celebrate endocrinology at the Prague Congress Centre in Prague, Czech Republic. This year’s Congress will also celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) since the formation of the Society in 2006.