Scientists pinpoint surprising new function for histones
FINDINGSUCLA scientists have identified a new function for histones, the spool-shaped proteins that regulate gene expression and help pack long strands of DNA into cells. The resulting matrix, called chromatin, provides the structural foundation for chromosomes.In a surprising finding thatreceived more than 1,400 “likes” and more than 600 shares on Twitter within the first several days after the study was published, the researchers discovered that histones also function asenzymes that convertcopper into a form that can be used by the body ’s cells.Scientists had assumed that copper spontaneously converted into a usab...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - July 8, 2020 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news
First successful delivery of mitochondria to liver cells in animals
(University of Connecticut) This experiment marks the first time researchers have ever successfully introduced mitochondria into specific cells in living animals. The study lays the groundwork to address a serious gap in treatment for liver diseases and may even eventually be used to treat other maladies throughout the body affected by mitochondrial malfunction or damage. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - June 25, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news
Quantifying the building blocks of DNA is now easier thanks to a novel technique
(University of Helsinki) A highly sensitive and easy-to-use technique applicable for tissue samples can be useful, for example, to researchers specialised in mitochondrial diseases and cancer. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - June 24, 2020 Category: Biology Source Type: news
New technique allows scientists to measure mitochondrial respiration in frozen tissue
FINDINGSScientists led by Dr. Orian Shirihai, director of themetabolism theme at theDavidGeffen School of Medicine at UCLA,have developed a method for restoring oxygen-consumption activity to previously frozen mitochondria samples, even years after they have been collected. The process of freezing and thawing mitochondria depresses their oxygen consumption and, until now, has hindered researchers ’ ability to accurately carry out large-scale studies examining the crucial role of mitochondria in both health and disease.BACKGROUNDThe mitochondria in our cells consume 90% of the oxygen we breathe and use that oxygen to conv...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - June 22, 2020 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news
T cells with dysfunctional mitochondria induce multimorbidity and premature senescence
The effect of immunometabolism on age-associated diseases remains uncertain. In this work, we show that T cells with dysfunctional mitochondria owing to mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) deficiency act as accelerators of senescence. In mice, these cells instigate multiple aging-related features, including metabolic, cognitive, physical, and cardiovascular alterations, which together result in premature death. T cell metabolic failure induces the accumulation of circulating cytokines, which resembles the chronic inflammation that is characteristic of aging ("inflammaging"). This cytokine storm itself acts as a sys...
Source: ScienceNOW - June 17, 2020 Category: Science Authors: Desdin-Mico, G., Soto-Heredero, G., Aranda, J. F., Oller, J., Carrasco, E., Gabande-Rodriguez, E., Blanco, E. M., Alfranca, A., Cusso, L., Desco, M., Ibanez, B., Gortazar, A. R., Fernandez-Marcos, P., Navarro, M. N., Hernaez, B., Alcami, A., Baixauli, F., Tags: Immunology, Medicine, Diseases reports Source Type: news
Study reveals importance of mitochondrial small proteins in energy production
(Duke-NUS Medical School) A small mitochondrial protein is necessary for energy production and its malfunction could be behind a range of degenerative diseases, according to study by Duke-NUS Medical School and their collaborators. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - April 16, 2020 Category: Biology Source Type: news
Neurons' energy organelle protected from damage linked to ALS, Alzheimer's
(Scripps Research Institute) Mitochondrial damage is increasingly recognized as a key factor underlying neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and ALS. A new screening platform has identified a set of drug-like compounds that may protect them. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - January 8, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news
Stealth Bio's neuromuscular disorder drug fails trial; shares plummet
Stealth BioTherapeutics Corp's shares crashed on Friday after its lead neuromuscular disorder drug candidate failed to help patients walk better and reduce fatigue, a major setback to the company's wide mitochondrial diseases pipeline. (Source: Reuters: Health)
Source: Reuters: Health - December 20, 2019 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: healthNews Source Type: news
VDAC oligomers form mitochondrial pores to release mtDNA fragments and promote lupus-like disease
Mitochondrial stress releases mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) into the cytosol, thereby triggering the type I interferon (IFN) response. Mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization, which is required for mtDNA release, has been extensively studied in apoptotic cells, but little is known about its role in live cells. We found that oxidatively stressed mitochondria release short mtDNA fragments via pores formed by the voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) oligomers in the mitochondrial outer membrane. Furthermore, the positively charged residues in the N-terminal domain of VDAC1 interact with mtDNA, promoting VDAC1 oligomerizat...
Source: ScienceNOW - December 18, 2019 Category: Science Authors: Kim, J., Gupta, R., Blanco, L. P., Yang, S., Shteinfer-Kuzmine, A., Wang, K., Zhu, J., Yoon, H. E., Wang, X., Kerkhofs, M., Kang, H., Brown, A. L., Park, S.-J., Xu, X., Zandee van Rilland, E., Kim, M. K., Cohen, J. I., Kaplan, M. J., Shoshan-Barmatz, V., Tags: Cell Biology, Immunology reports Source Type: news
Geffen School of Medicine honors doctor for his groundbreaking research on immune response
In recognition of his groundbreaking work on the mechanisms underlying the cellular response to infection, Dr. Zhijian “James” Chen of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas has received the 2019 Switzer Prize awarded by the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.At the prize ceremony on the UCLA campus, during which Chen delivered a lecture about his research focused on the role of DNA in triggering immune defense and autoimmune diseases, the scientist said he was honored to receive the award and then joked that “to this day, I still don’t know who nominated me.”Chen was introduced by Dr...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - November 21, 2019 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news
Mitocellular communication: Shaping health and disease
Throughout the animal kingdom, mitochondria are the only organelles that retain their own genome and the transcription and translation machineries that are all essential for energy harvesting. Mitochondria have developed a complex communication network, allowing them to stay in tune with cellular needs and nuclear transcriptional programs and to alleviate mitochondrial dysfunction. Here, we review recent findings on the wide array of mechanisms that contribute to these mitocellular communication networks, spanning from well-studied messenger molecules to mitonuclear genetic interactions. Based on these observations and dev...
Source: ScienceNOW - November 13, 2019 Category: Science Authors: Mottis, A., Herzig, S., Auwerx, J. Tags: Cell Biology special/review Source Type: news
Keeping a cell's powerhouse in shape
(Max Delbr ü ck Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association) A German-Swiss team around Professor Oliver Daumke from the MDC has investigated how a protein of the dynamin family deforms the inner mitochondrial membrane. The results, which also shed light on a hereditary disease of the optic nerve, have been published in Nature. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - July 10, 2019 Category: Biology Source Type: news
Host mitochondria influence gut microbiome diversity: A role for ROS
Changes in the gut microbiota and the mitochondrial genome are both linked with the development of disease. To investigate why, we examined the gut microbiota of mice harboring various mutations in genes that alter mitochondrial function. These studies revealed that mitochondrial genetic variations altered the composition of the gut microbiota community. In cross-fostering studies, we found that although the initial microbiota community of newborn mice was that obtained from the nursing mother, the microbiota community progressed toward that characteristic of the microbiome of unfostered pups of the same genotype within 2 ...
Source: Signal Transduction Knowledge Environment - July 1, 2019 Category: Science Authors: Yardeni, T., Tanes, C. E., Bittinger, K., Mattei, L. M., Schaefer, P. M., Singh, L. N., Wu, G. D., Murdock, D. G., Wallace, D. C. Tags: STKE Research Articles Source Type: news
David Geffen School of Medicine names 2019 winner of Switzer Prize
Dr. Zhijian (James) Chen of the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas will be the 2019 recipient of the Switzer Prize, awarded by the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Chen has performed groundbreaking work on the mechanisms underlying the cellular response to infection.Chen ’s group has been instrumental in the identification of immune response pathways that have significantly added to scientists’ understanding of how these pathways work in microbial infections and autoimmune diseases.Most significantly, his team at UT Southwestern discovered the DNA-sensing enzyme cGAS, which helps launch the immune defen...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - June 17, 2019 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news
Reneo Pharmaceuticals Raises $50 Million to Develop Therapeutics to Treat Genetic Mitochondrial Diseases
SAN DIEGO, May 20, 2019 -- (Healthcare Sales & Marketing Network) -- Reneo Pharmaceuticals, a clinical stage pharmaceutical company, today announced that it has completed a $50 million Series A financing to develop therapies for diseases associated with d... Biopharmaceuticals, Venture Capital Reneo Pharmaceuticals, mitochondrial diseases (Source: HSMN NewsFeed)
Source: HSMN NewsFeed - May 20, 2019 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: news
