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.

USC researchers discover two Zika proteins potentially responsible for microcephaly

USC researchers have tracked down two Zika proteins potentially responsible for thousands of microcephaly cases in Brazil and elsewhere — taking one small step toward preventing Zika-infected mothers from birthing babies with abnormally small heads.

11 Aug 2016

Pancreatic cancer cells find alternative source of nutrition to avoid starvation

Pancreatic cancer cells avert starvation in dense tumors by ordering nearby support cells to supply them with an alternative source of nutrition.

11 Aug 2016

Cutting off fuel to cancer cells may be potential therapeutic strategy for Kras-driven lung cancers

Research from investigators at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Princeton University has identified a new approach to cancer therapy in cutting off a cancer cell's 'fuel supply' by targeting a cellular survival mechanism known as autophagy.

11 Aug 2016

SBP board member donates $1M for researchers to study pancreatic and prostate cancer

Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) has received a $1M donation from The Epstein Family Foundation for scientists to study pancreatic and prostate cancer.

10 Aug 2016

Research paves way for development of new drugs to prevent cancer and Alzheimer's

A new generation of drugs that prevent cancer and Alzheimer's could be developed, thanks to research from the University of Warwick.

3 Aug 2016

New study identifies alternative route for tuberculosis infection

Researchers from UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified a new way that tuberculosis bacteria get into the body, revealing a potential therapeutic angle to explore.

22 Jul 2016

Study offers new hope for preventing chronic lung disease in premature infants

By triggering a process called autophagy -- in which cells literally engulf their own insides --researchers from Drexel University and Yale University were able to decrease lung injury in mice that were exposed to high concentrations of oxygen.

20 Jul 2016

Studying blood stored in plastic blood bags with Renishaw’s inVia™ Raman microscopy

The Michael Smith Laboratories at the University of British Columbia, Canada, is leading the way in the use of Raman spectroscopy as a tool for monitoring biochemical changes and inter-donor variability in stored red blood cell (RBC) units.

19 Jul 2016

Study shows how dietary restriction impacts autophagy in intestine to increase lifespan

Dietary restriction, or limited food intake without malnutrition, has beneficial effects on longevity in many species, including humans. A new study from the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP), published today in PLoS Genetics, represents a major advance in understanding how dietary restriction leads to these advantages.

15 Jul 2016

Researchers reveal molecular mechanism of autophagy initiation

Researchers revealed that Atg13 links autophagy initiation factors to each other using a string-like conformation, thereby promoting the association of diverse elements of the autophagy initiation machinery, initiating autophagosome formation through the recruitment of Atg9 vesicles and phosphorylation of various Atg factors.

12 Jul 2016

Sheffield researchers identify novel function of C9orf72 protein linked to ALS and FTD

Scientists from the University of Sheffield have discovered a novel function of the C9orf72 protein which is linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) - giving a new insight into the most common genetic cause of the degenerative diseases.

1 Jul 2016

Strengthening immune defence system may provide treatment alternative for tuberculosis

Researchers at Linköping University have made a discovery that could contribute to developing new vaccines and treatment alternatives for tuberculosis in the future. The results have been published in Scientific Reports, a sister journal to the highly respected periodical Nature.

27 Jun 2016

Researchers reveal integrins could be key to survival mechanism in cancer cells

Cancer cells appear to depend on an unusual survival mechanism to spread around the body, according to an early study led by Queen Mary University of London. The discovery could help with future development of novel treatments to prevent metastasis and secondary tumours.

24 Jun 2016

Novel combination therapy slows cancer growth in patients with advanced solid tumors

A phase 1 clinical trial testing a novel combination therapy developed by scientists at VCU Massey Cancer Center slowed the growth of cancer in the majority of trial participants, which were patients with advanced solid tumors.

22 Jun 2016

Mitofusin 2 protein could serve as therapeutic target to ameliorate sarcopenia in older adults

One of the alterations that most affects the quality of life of the elderly is muscle wastage and the resulting loss of strength, a condition known as sarcopenia. At about 55 years old, people begin to lose muscle mass, this loss continues into old age, at which point it becomes critical.

22 Jun 2016

Stroke can cause long-term damage to blood-spinal cord barrier, study finds

A team of researchers at the University of South Florida investigating the short and long-term effects of ischemic stroke in a rodent model has found that stroke can cause long-term damage to the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB), creating a "toxic environment" in the spinal cord that might leave stroke survivors susceptible to motor dysfunction and disease pathology.

14 Jun 2016

Researchers aim to protect kidneys while improving cisplatin's efficacy against cancer

Cisplatin is a common, powerful chemotherapy agent used for a wide range of cancers such as breast, ovarian and lung, that in a handful of days can also permanently damage or destroy patients' kidneys.

14 Jun 2016

Buck researchers identify new, potential drug targets for sporadic PD

Research at the Buck Institute shows the same mechanisms that lead to neuronal cell death in mice genetically fated to develop Parkinson's disease (PD) are involved in the much more common sporadic form of the age-related, neurodegenerative disorder that robs people of the ability to move normally.

2 Jun 2016

ULK1, ULK2 enzymes play key role in maintaining cellular homeostasis

Researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have uncovered how two enzymes, ULK1 and ULK2, which are best known for their role in the degradation and recycling of proteins, control the trafficking of specific proteins.

23 May 2016

Inhibiting autophagy can effectively block tumor cell migration, breast cancer metastasis

Researchers from the University of Chicago have shown that inhibiting autophagy, a self-devouring process used by cells to degrade large intra-cellular cargo, effectively blocks tumor cell migration and breast cancer metastasis in tumor models.

13 May 2016

Autophagy News and Research

Further Reading

USC researchers discover two Zika proteins potentially responsible for microcephaly

Pancreatic cancer cells find alternative source of nutrition to avoid starvation

Cutting off fuel to cancer cells may be potential therapeutic strategy for Kras-driven lung cancers

SBP board member donates $1M for researchers to study pancreatic and prostate cancer

Research paves way for development of new drugs to prevent cancer and Alzheimer's

New study identifies alternative route for tuberculosis infection

Study offers new hope for preventing chronic lung disease in premature infants

Studying blood stored in plastic blood bags with Renishaw’s inVia™ Raman microscopy

Study shows how dietary restriction impacts autophagy in intestine to increase lifespan

Researchers reveal molecular mechanism of autophagy initiation

Sheffield researchers identify novel function of C9orf72 protein linked to ALS and FTD

Strengthening immune defence system may provide treatment alternative for tuberculosis

Researchers reveal integrins could be key to survival mechanism in cancer cells

Novel combination therapy slows cancer growth in patients with advanced solid tumors

Mitofusin 2 protein could serve as therapeutic target to ameliorate sarcopenia in older adults

Stroke can cause long-term damage to blood-spinal cord barrier, study finds

Researchers aim to protect kidneys while improving cisplatin's efficacy against cancer

Buck researchers identify new, potential drug targets for sporadic PD

ULK1, ULK2 enzymes play key role in maintaining cellular homeostasis

Inhibiting autophagy can effectively block tumor cell migration, breast cancer metastasis

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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