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Controlling oxygen to fight disease

Researchers at Gladstone Institutes found that hypoxia therapy can extend lifespan and improve brain function in mice with motor neuron degeneration. The therapy works by reducing the amount of oxygen available to cells, which can help counteract the effects of defective mitochondrial quality control machinery.

SourceGladstone Institutes·JournalNature Metabolism·DateJul 8, 2026

Light-sensitive microbial protein may herald new cancer therapies

Researchers developed a new approach using the microbial protein Archaerhodopsin-3 to induce apoptosis in cancer cells, leading to significant tumor shrinkage when exposed to green light. The findings, published by Okayama University, show great potential for this light-activated molecule as a novel cancer therapy.

SourceOkayama University·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 2, 2025

The link between immune aging and type 2 diabetes

This review synthesizes evidence highlighting immune aging as a critical accelerator of type 2 diabetes pathogenesis. Chronic low-grade inflammation, organelle stress pathways, and the ominous octet framework contribute to metabolic-inflammatory vortex, disrupting β-cell function and insulin signaling.

SourceXia & He Publishing Inc.·JournalExploratory Research and Hypothesis in Medicine·DateAug 6, 2025

What long COVID-19, ME/CFS, and neuroscience have in common and to gain from one another

Long-haul COVID-19 and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome share similar pathophysiologies, including oxidative stress, autoantibodies, and impaired mitochondrial energy conversion. These conditions also exhibit neurodegenerative outcomes, such as fatigue, sleep disturbances, and increased risk of dementia.

SourceChinese Medical Journals Publishing House Co., Ltd.·JournalNeuroprotection·TypeLiterature review·DateJul 16, 2025

A tidy cell seems to keep aging at bay

A study published in PNAS reveals that HKDC1 protein plays a crucial role in maintaining mitochondrial and lysosomal function, thereby preventing cellular senescence. The researchers found that HKDC1 helps regulate the removal of damaged mitochondria through mitophagy and facilitates lysosomal repair.

SourceOsaka University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 1, 2024

A readily available dietary supplement may reverse organ damage caused by HIV and antiretroviral therapy

A recent study found that the mitochondrial antioxidant MitoQ can reverse the detrimental effects of HIV and antiretroviral therapy on organs such as the brain, heart, and liver. The researchers used humanized mice infected with HIV and treated them with MitoQ for three months.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences·JournalThe Journal of Infectious Diseases·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMar 24, 2023

Breakthrough in mitochondrial regulation

Researchers from Osaka University have identified a system known as the GET pathway as crucial for regulating the numbers of energy-producing mitochondria. The study found that disruption of the GET pathway leads to reduced mitophagy, a process responsible for removing defective or excess mitochondria.

SourceOsaka University·JournalLife Science Alliance·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 30, 2023

Study links genetic variant to digestive disturbances in patients with Chagas disease

Researchers identified a genetic variant linked to digestive disturbances in patients with Chagas megaesophagus, a disorder characterized by esophageal dilation and loss of motility. The study suggests that increased interferon-gamma production leads to mitochondrial dysfunction, contributing to the development of the disease.

How heart failure disrupts the cell’s powerhouse

Researchers from Hokkaido University have identified a link between succinyl-CoA levels and energy metabolism in heart cells affected by chronic heart failure. Supplementation with 5-aminolevulinate acid improved heart function and oxidative phosphorylation capacity in mice with surgically blocked blood supply.

SourceHokkaido University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 24, 2022

Small proteins play big role in cellular energy balance

Scientists at Duke-NUS Medical School have discovered the critical role of small microproteins in assembling larger protein complexes inside energy-generating cell components known as mitochondria. The study highlights how microproteins regulate energy supply and mitigate mitochondrial dysfunction, a feature underlying various diseases.

SourceDuke-NUS Medical School·JournalCell Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 15, 2022

GlyNAC supplementation reverses mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and aging hallmarks to boost strength and promote health in aging humans

A randomized clinical trial found that GlyNAC supplementation improves age-associated defects in older humans, including oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. This led to improvements in muscle strength, gait speed, exercise capacity, and other health outcomes, showing promise for promoting healthy aging.

SourceBaylor College of Medicine·JournalThe Journals of Gerontology Series A·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateAug 17, 2022

Study reveals likely link between mitochondrial dysfunction and age-dependent cognitive disorders

Scientists demonstrate a definitive link between mitochondrial oxidative damage and cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease using a transgenic mouse model. The study found that Aβ1-42 aggregation in the hippocampus caused cognitive impairment, while oxidation led to mitochondrial dysfunction.

SourceShibaura Institute of Technology·JournalBiomedicines·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 14, 2022

Proton translocation pathways in a molecular machine of cellular energy metabolism

Researchers at Goethe University and the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics have gained new insights into how mitochondrial complex I facilitates proton transfer through water molecules. The study's high-resolution structure data enabled computer simulations that shed light on the protein's dynamics during its catalytic cycle.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 16, 2021

Scientists develop new gene therapy for eye disease

Scientists from Trinity College Dublin have developed a new gene therapy approach that successfully protected the visual function of mice with dysfunctional mitochondria. The treatment also improved mitochondrial performance in human cells with OPA1 gene mutations, offering hope for treating diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

SourceTrinity College Dublin·JournalFrontiers in Neuroscience·DateNov 26, 2020

Nerve cells with energy saving program

Researchers discovered a metabolic adaptation in nerve cells that allows them to counteract degeneration and promote survival. This 'metabolic rewiring' involves the activation of the Krebs cycle anaplerosis pathway, which makes neurons resistant to progressive damage.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalScience Advances·DateAug 31, 2020

New vitamin K-based drug shows promise against medication-resistant epilepsy

Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina have developed a vitamin K-based compound that eliminates medication-resistant epileptic seizures in mice. The compound works by increasing brain cells' ability to produce energy and protects mitochondrial health, making it a promising new treatment option for those with epilepsy.

SourceMedical University of South Carolina·JournalJournal of Medicinal Chemistry·DateJul 6, 2020