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 completely new mechanism for mitochondrial disease

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have discovered that excessive degradation of the power plants of our cells plays an important role in the onset of mitochondrial disease in children.

11 Jun 2020

Hydroxychloroquine suppresses 'trained immunity'

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in June 2020 shows that the drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) suppresses a form of immunity called ‘trained immunity,’ with repercussions for its potential use to treat COVID-19.

11 Jun 2020

Study reveals new strategy to tackle cancer

A study led by the Institut de Neurociències describes a new strategy to tackle cancer, based on inducing a potent stress in tumor causing cell destruction by autophagy.

9 Jun 2020

GMU researchers studying effect of cannabidiol on exosome release

Fatah Kashanchi, Professor, Laboratory of Molecular Virology, School of Systems Biology, and Lance Liotta, Co-Director, Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, are working to mitigate virally driven HIV pathenogenesis in the central nervous system.

5 Jun 2020

Genetic variations linked to COVID-19 severity

A new report by researchers from Thailand's Mahidol University and published on the preprint server medRxiv in May 2020 reports that the clinical severity of COVID-19 may be linked to the genetic makeup of the patient in addition to external factors.

3 Jun 2020

Cancer drug nilotinib found to be safe and well-tolerated in Alzheimer's disease clinical trial

A Georgetown University Medical Center clinical trial investigating the cancer drug nilotinib in people with Alzheimer's disease finds that it is safe and well-tolerated, and researchers say the drug should be tested in a larger study to further determine its safety and efficacy as a potential disease-modifying strategy.

29 May 2020

Warwick researchers discover how cells activate autophagy genes during fasting

As modern life-styles and high calorie diets drive the UK's obesity levels up, researchers from the University of Warwick have found how cells respond to fasting and activate the process called autophagy, which means a healthier lifestyle can be promoted to help people maintain a healthy body weight.

26 May 2020

Novel tool helps translate complex communication between microbes and the body

A new tool developed by scientists at the Quadram Institute and Earlham Institute is helping to translate the complex communication between the microbiome and the body.

21 May 2020

UCLA study shows link between diesel exhaust and risk of Parkinson's

A new UCLA study in zebrafish has identified the process by which air pollution can damage brain cells, potentially contributing to Parkinson's disease.

20 May 2020

DZD researchers discover additional genetic cause for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

In Germany about 18 million people suffer from non-alcoholic fatty liver. The causes of this disease are manifold and include environmental as well as genetic factors.

19 May 2020

Innovative approach turns 'cold' tumors 'hot' to improve cancer immunotherapy

Scientists from the Tumor Immunotherapy and Microenvironment research group led by Dr Bassam Janji at the Luxembourg Institute of Health Department of Oncology, and the Swedish pharma company Sprint Bioscience published the results of an innovative approach that turns “cold” tumors “hot”. “Cold”, immune-desert tumors are classically immunotherapy-resistant.

13 May 2020

Study provides evidence for safety and efficacy of chloroquine in COVID-19

After a pilot study (Huang et al.Journal of Molecular Cell Biology, in press), having proved the safety and effectiveness of the drug to reduce the viral RNA to undetectable levels in 10 COVID-19 patients, the researchers began this current study, published on the preprint server medRxiv.

5 May 2020

Low levels of vitamin D may be linked to severe COVID-19

A new observational study from the United States indicates that vitamin D insufficiency may play a significant role in the progression of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The research titled 'Vitamin D Insufficiency is Prevalent in Severe COVID-19' is available on the preprint server medRxiv.Study shows that low levels of vitamin D may be linked to severe COVID-19

29 Apr 2020

Researchers uncover novel role for autophagy in the brain

Scientists from the laboratory of Dr. Natalia Kononenko at the CECAD Center of Excellence in Aging Research at the University of Cologne have found out that autophagy - the process of cellular self-recycling, or waste clearance - is dispensable for the survival of the neurons in mice.

31 Mar 2020

Gene that could affect the progress of ALS discovered

Researchers from the Zuckerman Institute at Columbia University have successfully found a gene that could work towards accelerating the progression of ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The study titled, "The loss of TBK1 kinase activity in motor neurons or in all cell types differentially impacts ALS disease progression in SOD1 mice," was published in the latest issue of the journal Neuron.

29 Mar 2020

Insights into diagnosis and treatment of rare pediatric brain cancer

Ependymoma is a rare form of brain cancer that implicates children and is often tricky to diagnose.

26 Mar 2020

Antioxidant treatment in acute ischemic stroke could delay onset of clinically overt dementia

Currently we are facing a dementia epidemic, with estimations showing that by 2050 approximately 131 million people will be affected.

17 Mar 2020

Effects of obesity mirror those of aging, study shows

Globally, an estimated 1.9 billion adults and 380 million children are overweight or obese. According to the World Health Organization, more people are dying from being overweight than underweight. Researchers at Concordia are urging health authorities to rethink their approach to obesity.

25 Feb 2020

Research suggests new approach to block tau pathology in FTLD, Alzheimer's

The protein β-arrestin-2 increases the accumulation of neurotoxic tau tangles, a cause several forms of dementia, by interfering with removal of excess tau from the brain, a new study by the University of South Florida Health Morsani College of Medicine found.

17 Feb 2020

Autophagy genes work against tumors in some ovarian cancers

Shedding light on a decades-old controversy, scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina and University of California at San Diego published findings in PLOS Genetics this month showing that autophagy or "self-eating" genes work against tumors in certain types of ovarian cancer.

13 Feb 2020