Articles tagged with Mitochondrial Diseases
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Researchers from the University of Colorado School of Medicine have identified previously unknown genetic causes of mitochondrial diseases, including cardiomyopathy and excess acid in blood. The study found that mutations in specific genes caused lethal conditions, and increasing a nutritional compound improved cell function.
Researchers developed a genome editing tool to target and eliminate damaged mitochondrial DNA, resulting in improved mitochondrial function in mice. The treatment, known as mtZFN, could provide a practical route to treating patients with mitochondrial diseases.
Researchers have identified four children with inherited mutations in NDUFA6, a building block of complex I, leading to mitochondrial diseases. The discovery paves the way for earlier diagnosis and potential prevention of this devastating condition.
Colorado State University biomedical engineer Jesse Wilson is proposing a radical new imaging technology that could diagnose mitochondrial defects in an instant. His technology aims to create a cost-effective, non-invasive way to diagnose mitochondrial diseases, which affect about 1 in 5,000 children and are often fatal.
A study by CHOP researchers found that patients with mitochondrial disease prefer self-administered treatments, daily treatment, and guaranteed access. However, they are less likely to participate if they need to discontinue their current medications or undergo invasive procedures.
Scientists have developed a new drug compound that shows promise as a future treatment for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, an inherited neurodegenerative condition affecting peripheral nerves. The researchers found that the problem lies in mitochondria's inability to travel distances, leading to nerve atrophy and muscle loss.
Researchers from Brown University and Harvard Law School urge the US to allow mitochondrial replacement therapy to prevent fatal mitochondrial diseases in children. The procedure replaces mutation-bearing mitochondria with donated mutation-free ones, saving lives and alleviating human suffering.
Researchers found two compounds effective in prolonging lifespan and protecting against brain damage in animal models of mitochondrial disease. These findings suggest that N-acetylcysteine and vitamin E may be viable leads for clinical trials to treat mitochondrial disease, which has no proven effective treatments.
A new study reveals that mitochondrial disease patients often undergo more than eight physician visits and experience multiple misdiagnoses before being correctly diagnosed. The most common misdiagnosis was for psychiatric disorder, followed by fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.
A retrospective study found that intravenous arginine treatment led to clinical improvements and no adverse effects in children with mitochondrial disease after acute metabolic strokes. The treatment resulted in partial or complete reversal of symptoms such as seizures, paralysis, and low muscle tone in 47% of patients.
Researchers discovered that taurine is essential for protein synthesis in mitochondria, and its deficiency leads to severe neurological disorders. Maintaining protein quality also improves symptoms, suggesting a potential therapeutic approach with TUDCA.
Healthy people carry mutations in their mitochondrial DNA, which can appear unexpectedly in previously unaffected families due to a bottleneck effect where only healthy mitochondria survive. The study reveals that every developing egg cell may carry faulty mitochondria, which can cause severe diseases if they repopulate the egg.
The new guidelines address a broad range of medical specialties and special issues encountered by patients, including pregnancy and high-altitude travel. The recommendations compile a list of medications that must be used with caution or avoided in patients with mitochondrial disease.
A recent study highlights the significant healthcare burden of mitochondrial disease in the US, with high medical costs and mortality rates among patients. The study found that hospitalizations for these disorders result in disproportionately higher costs and mortality rates compared to patients without mitochondrial disease.
New studies offer hope for developing a biomarker for research and diagnostics, and a drug for treating progressive neurodegenerative diseases linked to mitochondrial defects. The findings suggest that dimethyl fumarate may increase mitochondria production and lessen the symptoms of muscle diseases caused by mitochondrial abnormalities.
A new online database has been created to help clinicians and scientists better diagnose POLG disorders and predict their outcomes. The tool uses a mutation query interface to display cluster mapping of input mutations and show existing patient cases.
Researchers found that breathing 11% oxygen can eliminate neurologic damage in a mouse model of Leigh syndrome, but treatment needs to be continuous. The study reveals promising results, with hypoxia therapy reversing brain lesions and symptoms in animals close to the end stages of the disease.
Researchers have created a human stem-cell based system to find drugs for mitochondrial disease. They extracted skin cells from patients with faulty mitochondria and used them to identify a promising potential drug called avanafil. This breakthrough gives the potential for truly personalized treatments for rare diseases.
Scientists have found the mechanisms behind a genetic change causing related diseases like Pearson's syndrome and Kearns-Sayre syndrome. The study reveals how errors in DNA replication result in large deletions of genetic material, leading to damage and mismanaged repair attempts.
Scientists at Whitehead Institute developed a novel method to isolate and measure mitochondrial metabolite concentrations, providing greater resolution than traditional methods. The new approach offers improved speed and specificity, allowing for more accurate analysis of mitochondrial function in various disorders.
Researchers have made a breakthrough discovery on the structure of the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU), a membrane gateway that regulates calcium uptake. The study reveals that MCU activity is vital to calcium homeostasis and cell survival, and that it can be modulated through small molecule development.
Scientists have created embryos with 'heteroplasmy,' a presence of both maternal and paternal mitochondrial DNA, allowing them to study potential treatments for mitochondrial diseases. Researchers found that inhibiting two proteins can prevent the removal of paternal mitochondrial DNA from embryos.
A new study reveals that Wolfram syndrome's mitochondrial dynamics impairment delays neuronal development, causing deafness, optic atrophy, and psychiatric disorders. The study highlights the causal role of regulating mitochondrial turnover in the disease's defects.
Scientists have created a tool to track reactive oxygen species (ROS) at the interface of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum organelles, revealing localized signaling loops that regulate mitochondrial energy production. ROS play a crucial role in normal biochemical processes, but their effects can be toxic if uncontrolled.
Researchers at Newcastle University have developed a genetic test to diagnose mitochondrial disorders, identifying six patients from four families affected by the disease. The test, which takes 2-3 days to produce results, has the potential to revolutionize diagnosis and treatment of this debilitating condition.
The US policy on mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT) is at a standstill due to a contradiction between the National Academies' recommendation and a legislation enacted by President Obama's administration. MRT aims to replace disease-causing mitochondrial DNA in human embryos, providing new cures for previously untreatable conditions.
Researchers have discovered a new IVF-based technique that significantly reduces the risk of mitochondrial disease in babies. The 'early pronuclear transfer' method involves transplanting healthy mitochondria into an embryo created using conventional IVF.
Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital found that dysfunctional mitochondria may not be the primary cause of neurological symptoms in patients with mitochondrial diseases. Instead, brain developmental defects during embryonic development may play a role.
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital found that inducing the hypoxia response, the body's reaction to low oxygen levels, may relieve symptoms of mitochondrial diseases. Activation of this response alleviated mitochondrial pathology and extended survival in animal models.
Researchers at the Buck Institute discover that dysfunctional mitochondria induce a unique type of senescence, characterized by a distinct secretory phenotype. This finding provides an alternative explanation for the free-radical theory of aging and highlights a new role for mitochondria in affecting physiology.
Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia discover that modulating basic biological processes like protein translation and autophagy improves health in mitochondrial disease, opening a new arsenal of therapies. Several existing human drugs show significant beneficial results, including rapamycin and probucol.
Researchers at OHSU develop breakthrough technique to replace diseased tissue in patients with mitochondrial disease, paving the way for regenerative medicine treatments. The study uses mitochondrial replacement to create healthy mitochondria from patient skin cells, opening doors to a world of cure options.
Scientists have developed a new method to generate healthy stem cells from patient cells with mitochondrial mutations, which can then be converted into various cell types. This breakthrough has the potential to treat debilitating mitochondrial diseases that affect the brain and muscles, offering new hope for patients worldwide.
Researchers at Salk Institute find that a high-fat diet amplifies the effects of FGF21, granting mice resistance to obesity and associated diseases. The study provides insight into potential new therapies for mitochondrial and metabolic diseases in humans.
Researchers successfully use gene-editing technology to prevent mutated mitochondrial DNA from being passed down to offspring in mice, offering a potential cure for maternally inherited genetic disorders. The approach involves injecting mRNA into mother's oocytes or early embryos and could be easily implemented in IVF clinics worldwide.
Researchers at Salk Institute have developed a gene-editing technique to eliminate mitochondrial mutations, preventing babies from inheriting these diseases. The approach may offer new hope for carriers wishing to have children without the disease.
Researchers use laboratory animals with genetic mutations to test existing human drugs, improving metabolism and lifespan. The study sets the stage for potential innovative therapies for mitochondrial disease.
Researchers found impaired energy metabolism in Mfn2-deficient cells due to reduced coenzyme Q levels. Supplementing with coenzyme Q partially restored respiratory chain function, suggesting a potential treatment for patients with Mitofusin 2 deficiency diseases.
Mitochondrial donation has the potential to prevent transmission of serious mitochondrial disease, which affects brain, muscle, liver, and kidney tissues. Researchers estimate that up to 2,500 women in the UK could benefit from this technique.
A recent study reveals that small changes in mitochondrial function can cause abrupt shifts in disease, including diabetes, autism, and neurodegenerative disorders. The research suggests that mitochondrial energy production plays a crucial role in human health and aging.
A study by Penn State scientists found that children born to older mothers have higher rates of mitochondrial DNA mutations, which can cause over 200 diseases. The researchers also discovered the size of the 'bottleneck' period during egg-cell development, providing crucial information for genetic counseling and family planning.
Researchers developed two mouse models with mitochondrial distribution defects that mimic neurological problems similar to ALS. The study found that impaired movement and muscle clasp were symptoms of the disease, suggesting a link between mitochondria distribution and motor neuron disease progression.
A study published in JAMA found that whole-exome sequencing successfully identified the underlying gene mutations causing mitochondrial respiratory chain defects, leading to a 60% diagnostic yield. This approach outperformed traditional methods, detecting new potential disease genes and improving the diagnosis of neurometabolic disorders.
Researchers found that mitochondria unable to self-repair are responsible for muscle weakness in both long-time alcoholics and patients with mitochondrial disease. The study identified a key protein, Mfn1, involved in skeletal muscle cell fusion.
Researchers found that rapamycin treatment increases survival and prevents disease progression in a mouse model of Leigh syndrome. The drug delays neurological symptoms, reduces brain inflammation, and extends lifespans by more than triple.
A study led by Dr. Luca Scorrano and Dr. José Antonio Enríquez found that the OPA1 gene can regulate cellular metabolism, potentially leading to new treatments for mitochondrial diseases. The researchers discovered that increasing OPA1 activity enhances energy production and cell growth.
A new gene mutation in FBXL4 has been linked to rare but devastating mitochondrial disorders. The discovery enables genetic testing for affected families, providing them with peace of mind and potentially leading to new treatments for the disorders.
A study from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia found a central signaling response in mitochondrial energy diseases, which may offer a common avenue for targeted treatments. Nicotinic acid partially restored normal functioning in cells taken from patients with mitochondrial disease.
A recent study reveals that rare mitochondrial mutations are more prevalent than previously thought, affecting 7.1% of patients with a respiratory chain disorder. Comprehensive analysis of all mitochondrial DNA is crucial for early diagnosis and treatment.
Researchers investigated the role of mitochondria in adrenoleukodystrophy, a disease causing spinal cord degeneration. They found that a diabetes drug, pioglitazone, halted nerve fibre degeneration by preventing mitochondrial loss and oxidative stress.
A research team developed a one-step gene test that analyzes both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA to help evaluate the genetic cause of suspected mitochondrial disease. The new tool may shorten the diagnostic odyssey experienced by patients and families seeking the cause of debilitating symptoms.
Researchers from NYSCF and CUMC developed a technique to transfer human egg cells' nuclei, eliminating the inheritance of mitochondrial diseases. This method demonstrates permanent elimination of mitochondrial DNA, preventing future generations from developing these devastating diseases.
Researchers have successfully transferred the nucleus of a healthy egg cell into an egg cell with mutant mitochondrial DNA, effectively eliminating the disease-causing genetic material. The technique has significant implications for preventing mitochondrial disorders, which affect approximately 1 in 10,000 people worldwide.
Dr. Douglas Wallace's groundbreaking work on mitochondria has led to a better understanding of their role in human evolution and disease. His research has also shed light on ancient human migration patterns and the link between mitochondrial DNA mutations and various diseases.
Wallace's pioneering work helped understand the role of mitochondria in disease and human evolution, leading to discoveries like Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy and links between mtDNA mutations and age-related diseases. He is the first laureate to receive the award at Yale University.
Researchers at UCLA have identified a method to correct human mitochondrial mutations by targeting corrective RNAs, which could lead to treating a range of mitochondrial diseases. The study builds on previous work that uncovered a role for an essential protein in regulating RNA import into mitochondria.
A recent study by University of Colorado Boulder researchers has revealed a surprising connection between mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum, two critical cell organelles. Mitochondrial defects have been linked to various diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.
The study found two DNA modifications in mitochondrial genomes that regulate gene expression, similar to those in nuclear genomes. This discovery implies a system of gene control in mitochondria, which may contribute to cancer and other age-related diseases.
A study published in EMBO Molecular Medicine suggests a novel therapy for mitochondrial diseases in children, using the oral drug probucol. The research reveals that probucol prevents and reverses kidney disease in mice with a genetic deficiency, raising levels of coenzyme Q10 and correcting signaling abnormalities.
Researchers at NIST have developed a technique to extract individual mitochondria from cells, enabling further study of genetic mutations behind neuromuscular disorders. This breakthrough could lead to a better understanding of mitochondrial-based diseases and potential treatments.