Author Archives: Magdalena Kegel

The benefits of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, generated from patient-derived skin samples and used to repair damaged tissue, may be hampered by age-related mutations in mitochondrial DNA, a new study reported. The study argues for careful screening of mitochondrial DNA mutations in these cells. Patient-derived stem cells, obtained through a…

CohBar, a developer of mitochondria-based therapeutics, announced that preclinical research by its academic collaborators has found small humanin-like peptides (SHLPs) that can control metabolism and cell survival. The findings have implications for age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s and cancer. The study, “Naturally Occurring Mitochondrial-derived Peptides are Age-dependent…

Stealth BioTherapeutics presented new clinical trial data during the recent American College of Cardiology’s 65th Annual Scientific Session in Chicago, showing that its lead candidate elamipretide is both safe and well-tolerated in patients with heart failure. At the April 2–4 meeting, the company also reported demonstrated improvements in major secondary efficacy study measures, and that future…

Autistic children have increased rates of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletions compared to healthy children – a finding that, surprisingly, is mirrored in the mtDNA copy numbers of their fathers. This odd circumstance is likely linked to deficits in the cancer gene p53, also found defective in the father-child duos. The…

Researchers have, for the first time, detected differences in proteins in the brains of men and women with dementia. The findings advance understanding of the molecular differences underlying an increased dementia risk in women, and might pave the way for better interventions for men and women alike. They also re-enforce the…

An online commentary published by the New England Journal of Medicine argues that the U.S. medical community will be crucial in determining future applications of, and the ethical framework surrounding, mitochondrial replacement techniques (MRTs). The United Kingdom recently addressed policy issues regarding MRTs. But the United States has a different…

People with Parkinson’s disease have decreased amounts of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) both in the blood and the brain, researchers from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, U.K., reported in a study  published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging. In the study, titled “Reduced mitochondrial DNA copy number is…

A newly found mutation in the OPA1 gene has been linked to a mitochondrial condition involving general brain dysfunction, thickening of the heart muscle, and degeneration of the optic nerve. The report, published in the Journal of Medical Genetics, is the first to describe the severe disease consequences of…

In a series of elaborate genetic experiments, Newcastle University scientists have shown, for the first time, that mitochondria are driving cellular aging. When the researchers removed mitochondria from aging cells, the cells took on a much younger appearance. The study, published in the EMBO Journal  and titled “Mitochondria are required…

Penn State researchers were the first to find the mitochondrial mechanism controlling the levels of calcium inside cells. Disruption of mitochondrial calcium regulation can result in an uncontrollable rise of the molecule inside cells, contributing to a host of neurodegenerative, metabolic, and cardiovascular diseases. The study was performed in the lab of…