Aging-dependent differential gene expression (by Yan et al via Cancer Cell)The likelihood of developing breast cancer increases considerably for older individuals, but the biological basis for this heightened risk remains unclear. Yan and colleagues conducted an extensive single-cell multi-omic analysis to identify molecular factors associated with age-related changes in rat breast tissue. They observed notable upregulation of a growth factor called midkine in older animals, showing that midkine induced aging-associated changes in gene expression and increased proliferation in mammary epithelial cells. Treatment with midkine also promoted tumor formation in a rat breast cancer model. Similar patterns of age-related midkine expression were observed in human blood and breast tissue, and elevated levels of this protein were predictive of both higher cancer risk and poorer prognosis in younger women, highlighting midkine’s potential utility as a clinical biomarker or even a target for prev

Cervical cancer disproportionally affects Native American women. Sociodemographic and behavioral factors might contribute to this disparity via alteration of vaginal microbiota. Here, we show the association between these factors and vaginal dysbiosis and immune activation, which can be implicated in high-risk HPV infection among Native American and other racial/ethnic populations.