News & Views in 2022

Embryo culture during assisted reproduction treatment may be associated with altered risks for health and aging across the lifespan of the offspring.

A variant of the IL7 gene predicts the toxicity of checkpoint inhibitors in patients with cancer, via a mechanism shared with autoimmune diseases — which could inform biomarker and treatment strategies in both of these contexts.

Healthy eating habits require effective collaborations among stakeholders — such as researchers and food retailers — to be impactful and sustainable.

Osteoarthritis is highly heterogeneous, so effective therapies will need to target clearly defined molecular endotypes, restore mechanical joint function and reduce pain; thus, a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach is unlikely to succeed.

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) informs predictive biomarkers in non–small-cell lung cancer, but the presence of ctDNA itself could also be a prognostic indicator.

In a clinical trial, non-nutritive sweeteners — which are supposedly inert — were shown to disrupt the gut microbiome of healthy people and impair glucose tolerance.

Although questions remain about several diet and disease associations, current evidence supports dietary guidelines to limit red meat and increase vegetable intake.

Challenges that characterize weight-loss drug trials necessitate good trial design — as highlighted by the STEP 5 trial of semaglutide.

New analyses are prompting a shift in how we think about systolic blood pressure, with substantial benefits to be gained from population-wide interventions alongside targeting high-risk groups.

Emerging evidence shows that boosting with updated mRNA vaccines that target SARS-CoV-2 variants stimulates better neutralizing antibody responses than homologous boosters.

A phase 2 study fails to meet its primary endpoint, but the treatment — a glucagon receptor antagonist — shows clinically relevant improvements in glycemic control, warranting further investigation as a potential adjunct to insulin.

Following a single infusion of CD19-targeting CAR T cells, five patients with SLE showed reduction in disease activity and disease markers; long-term follow-up of these patients and larger trials are now key priorities.

Using comprehensive single-cell profiling, two studies reveal the molecular phenotypes of CAR T cells associated with durable response in patients with lymphoma, and highlight the role of CAR regulatory T cells in mediating resistance.

Clinical evaluation of FMT is progressing without an adequate understanding of the underlying ecological dynamics; studies are now beginning to fill these gaps, but consensus will be needed on many fronts.

Assessment of tumor mutational burden through a simple blood test could help to identify which patients are most likely to benefit from immunotherapy, but optimal cutoffs are not well established.

A gene therapy product combines astrocyte replacement with stable delivery of a neuroprotective factor; a first-in-human study demonstrated safety and will inform the design of further clinical trials for this neurodegenerative disease.

In patients with large B cell lymphomas, immune features of the tumor microenviroment predict clinical outcomes after CAR T cell therapy; as the number of patients treated with CAR T cells is set to increase, refinement of these and other biomarkers will be crucial.

Incorporating genetic factors into risk models improves the prediction of severe obesity for survivors of childhood cancer, which could promote early interventions and better long-term care.

Infrequently dosed, longer-acting antiretroviral agents are making adherence to medication easier, leading to better outcomes for those living with HIV or at risk of infection.

A real-time early warning system for sepsis detection shows promising adoption by healthcare providers and important improvements in patient outcomes.