Autophagy News and Research

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Autophagy is a normal process in which a cell destroys proteins and other substances in its cytoplasm (the fluid inside the cell membrane but outside the nucleus), which may lead to cell death. Autophagy may prevent normal cells from developing into cancer cells, but it may also protect cancer cells by destroying anticancer drugs or substances taken up by them.

Study reveals cellular pathway used by Ebola virus to enter cells

A new study at Texas Biomedical Research Institute is shedding light on the role of specific proteins that trigger a mechanism allowing Ebola virus to enter cells to establish replication.

9 Aug 2018

Researchers discover inhibitory peptides to target central components in autophagy pathway

Autophagy, meaning "self-eating" in Greek, is a general metabolic mechanism adopted by nearly all the eukaryotic species, from the single cell yeast to humans.

30 Jun 2018

New therapeutic approach may delay neurodegeneration in rare genetic disease

A new therapeutic approach may one day delay neurodegeneration typical of a disease called mucopolysaccharidoses IIIB. Neurodegeneration in this condition results from the abnormal accumulation of essential cellular molecules called mucopolysaccharides.

21 Jun 2018

New study shows how vitamin A effectively supports lung immunity against TB

Scientists at Trinity College Dublin and St James's Hospital, Dublin, have discovered how vitamin A drives the lung immune system to deal with tuberculosis

14 Jun 2018

Scientists uncover 'Achilles heel' in deadly form of brain cancer

Scientists at Virginia Commonwealth University believe they have uncovered an "Achilles heel" of glioblastoma multiforme, the most common and deadly form of brain cancer.

5 Jun 2018

Study: Cellular housekeeping can help mammals live longer and healthier

Building on two decades of research, investigators at UT Southwestern have determined that "cellular housekeeping" can extend the lifespan and healthspan of mammals.

31 May 2018

New study could have important implications for cellular aging

Researchers have found a way to stimulate autophagy, a process used by cells to convert misfolded proteins and redundant organelles into components that the cell can re-use.

16 May 2018

Researchers demonstrate new strategy for stimulating autophagy

Brown University researchers studying the biology of aging have demonstrated a new strategy for stimulating autophagy, the process by which cells rebuild themselves by recycling their own worn-out parts.

16 May 2018

ONC201 disrupts mitochondrial function and kills breast cancer cells, reveals study

TRAIL, a member of the TNF family of ligands, causes caspase-dependent apoptosis through activation of its receptors, death receptor 4 and DR5.

9 May 2018

Study provides vital information to develop successful PI5P4K inhibitors for p53-mutant cancers

One major hallmark of cancer cells is their ability to adapt to stressful conditions such as nutrient deprivation. Rapidly growing tumor cells must compete for the ever-diminishing supply of nutrients in the surrounding environment to survive and proliferate. Targeting these adaptive mechanisms represents a promising approach for cancer therapeutics.

3 May 2018

Researchers discover glutamine-dependent activation of cell growth and autophagy

The human body consists of about 35 trillion cells, so it could be said that overall body growth is the growth of individual cells.

3 May 2018

Innovative research could lead to new ways to treat, prevent cancer

Research into cancer can provide new insight into how this disease works and how it can be stopped. The Experimental Biology 2018 meeting will showcase innovative research that could lead to new ways to treat and prevent cancer.

23 Apr 2018

Researchers develop highly specific apoptosis assay for pharmacodynamic analyses of tumor specimens

Existing microscopy-based methods of detecting apoptosis, such as TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling), have limited quantitative capabilities due to insufficient signal-to-noise ratios.

19 Apr 2018

Finding ways to reverse obesity’s lingering, pro-cancer effects

Like exposure to too much sun and drinking alcohol, obesity is a risk factor for cancer. Researchers at the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center are working to be a part of the solution -- they want to find ways to reverse obesity-linked biological changes in the body that are associated with cancer growth.

16 Apr 2018

Researchers find possible therapeutic strategy to block self-eating in pancreatic cancers

To get the extra energy they need to fuel their uncontrolled growth, cancer cells break down some of their own parts for fuel - a process known as autophagy, or "self-eating."

13 Apr 2018

Dietary fats play varied roles in disease

This month's issue of the Journal of Lipid Research features studies examining how fats in the diet affect health, including whether the ketogenic diet is a reasonable cancer therapy; how the type of unsaturated fats in a mouse's chow affects inflammation; and how cells respond to nutrient signals.

12 Apr 2018