VA Research Wrap Up: New findings on colorectal cancer, blast exposure and Alzheimer’s
VA’s Office of Research and Development recently published three News Briefs highlighting a potential new treatment for colorectal cancer, risks identified by a blast exposure study, and an Alzheimer’s disease genetic risk score.
New potential treatment for colorectal cancer
VA Kansas City researchers were part of an international team that created a potential new treatment for colorectal cancer.
Claudin-1 is a protein that is overexpressed in colorectal cancer and drives tumor growth. The team developed a monoclonal antibody that binds to claudin-1 and disrupts its effect on tumor cells while not affecting healthy tissue.
Using human tissue samples and mouse models, the researchers showed how the antibody reduced tumor growth and countered the cellular mechanisms that make some colorectal cancers resistant to standard treatments. This monoclonal antibody could be developed into a powerful tool to improve colorectal treatments.
Study quantifies impact of blast exposure on health
While it has been well established that exposure to high-level blasts during military service can cause a variety of health problems, VA researchers with the Millennium Cohort Study conducted a large-scale study to quantify that risk into specific rates for a wide range of conditions.
The study looked at electronic health records for more than 36,000 Veterans from between 2013 and 2021 and plotted out specific rates of conditions amongst Veterans who sustained an injury from a blast or explosion.
For example, the two conditions with the highest rates were hepatitis C infection with an 89% higher rate, and seizures at a 79% higher rate. Other conditions with significantly higher rates included brain and nerve problems, such as stroke and nerve damage; heart and metabolic issues, such as angina, high cholesterol and diabetes; breathing troubles, such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema; and infections, such as hepatitis B and bladder infections.
New Alzheimer’s risk score works for multiple populations
VA researchers and their colleagues developed a new genetic risk score for Alzheimer’s disease to better predict risk across different populations.
Previous Alzheimer’s disease risk scores only looked at one specific gene, APOE. The researchers used multiple large genetic repositories, including VA’s Million Veteran Program, to develop a new tool that takes into consideration many genetic variations across the entire genome rather than just APOE.
The new genetic risk score proved accurate in people of European, African American, Hispanic and East Asian ancestries. Furthermore, higher scores on the new assessment were linked to early observable biological and cognitive changes.
The results support incorporating this new genetic risk score in further testing and Alzheimer’s disease prevention strategies.
For more Office of Research and Development updates, visit ORD online or go to https://www.research.va.gov/news_briefs/.
