The pathogen C. diff — the most common cause of health care-associated infectious diarrhea — can use a compound that kills the human gut’s resident microbes to survive and grow, giving it a competitive advantage in the infected gut. 

A team led by investigators at Vanderbilt University Medical Center has discovered how C. diff (Clostridioides difficile) converts the poisonous compound 4-thiouracil, which could come from foods like broccoli, into a usable nutrient. Their findings, published March 25 in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, increase understanding of the molecular drivers of C. diff infection and point to novel therapeutic strategies.

A surprising mix of inherited and de novo mutations in 60 genes contribute to 10 percent of CHD cases. Many of these same mutations also contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders including autism. 

Researchers have found a potential new way to slow the progression of lung fibrosis and other fibrotic diseases by inhibiting the expression or function of Piezo2, a receptor that senses mechanical forces in tissues including stress, strain, and stiffness. The new study in The American Journal of Pathology, published by Elsevier, sheds light on the underlying mechanisms of pulmonary fibrotic diseases and identifies potential new targets and options for therapy to improve patients’ outcomes.