New research spanning immunology, oncology and health policy is shedding light on why some diseases persist, how others may be newly targeted, and how legislation can ripple through healthcare systems.
A study published in Science Immunology reports that biological differences in immune function may help explain why chronic pain is more common in women than in men. Researchers led by Geoffroy Laumet at Michigan State Universityfound that certain monocytes, a type of immune cell, produce interleukin-10 (IL-10), an anti-inflammatory protein that helps switch off pain signals from nerve cells. In experiments involving injured mice, males had higher numbers of IL-10-producing monocytes and experienced faster resolution of pain compared with females. The team linked this response to male sex hormones such as testosterone, which appeared to drive production of these pain-modulating immune cells.
Human data from 245 individuals recovering from injuries showed a similar pattern. Men generally experienced faster pain resolution than women, and this was associated with higher circulating levels of monocytes and IL-10. In animal models, manipulating hormone levels altered pain recovery. Female mice that had undergone ovary removal showed increased IL-10 levels and faster pain resolution after receiving testosterone pellets. Conversely, male mice whose testes had been removed exhibited lower testosterone and IL-10 levels and experienced delayed recovery from injury-related pain. The researchers suggest that slower pain resolution in women may increase the likelihood of transitioning from acute to chronic pain, and that targeting the IL-10 pathway could open new possibilities for non-opioid therapies aimed at preventing chronic pain before it becomes established.
In oncology, early-stage clinical data published in The New England Journal of Medicine indicate that an experimental drug may restore tumor-suppressing activity in cancers driven by a specific genetic mutation. The investigational therapy, rezatapopt, developed by PMV Pharmaceuticals, targets the Y220C mutation in the TP53 gene, which impairs the function of the p53 protein, often described as the genome’s guardian because of its role in controlling abnormal cell growth. In a phase 1/2 trial involving 77 patients with advanced cancers unresponsive to prior therapies, tumor shrinkage or disappearance was observed in a subset of participants whose tumors carried the Y220C mutation and lacked additional KRAS mutations linked to poorer outcomes.
Among this subgroup, responses were seen in 20% overall and in 30% of patients receiving higher tested doses. Confirmed responses were reported across multiple tumor types, including ovarian and breast cancers. A larger trial is now enrolling patients with ovarian, lung, breast, endometrial and other solid tumors to evaluate a 2,000 mg once-daily dose identified as the most promising in early testing.
Meanwhile, health policy research published in Health Economics suggests that abortion restrictions in certain U.S. states may have broader consequences for maternal healthcare access. An analysis of data collected between 2010 and 2021 found that Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers laws were associated with a reduction of more than two obstetrician-gynecologists per 100,000 women of reproductive age in affected states.
The decline in specialist availability was not offset by increases in midwives, nurse practitioners or physician assistants providing women’s health services. Separate research published earlier in JAMA Health Forum reported higher maternal morbidity among patients using fertility care in states with such laws. Together, the findings indicate that legislative changes aimed at limiting abortion access may also influence the broader landscape of reproductive and maternal healthcare delivery.
Across these disparate fields, the studies underscore how biology, drug development and public policy intersect in shaping patient outcomes, from the persistence of pain to the availability of specialists and the emergence of precision cancer therapies.
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