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Mitochondrial genes in fat tissues work poorly in obesity
Appeared in BioNews 1091
A twin study has revealed that obesity causes the dysfunction of mitochondria which triggers inflammation, particularly in fat tissue.
Obesity is associated with numerous health complications, including diabetes and heart conditions. However, tissue-specific mechanisms that drive these conditions are not well understood. Researchers at the University of Helsinki, Finland, investigated how obesity alters the muscle and fat, or adipose, tissue in a study of identical twins. If mitochondria, the cellular powerplants, are compared to the engine of a car, you could say that the power output decreases as weight increases, said Professor Kirsi Pietiläinen, who led the research.
Novel immunotherapy approach targets cancers
Appeared in BioNews 1086
Designer antibodies can alert the immune system to cancerous proteins, slowing tumour growth in mice – three independent studies demonstrate.
Researchers at the John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Maryland, investigated the notorious cancer proteins, p53 and RAS. Mutations in p53 and RAS are common among cancers, however, drug therapies have been largely unsuccessful. Therefore, researchers aimed to develop specific antibodies, like those of our immune system, to target these proteins instead. Antibodies detect precise protein fragments, called peptides. These peptides can be presented on the cell surface when complexed with the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) proteins, said Dr Katharine Wright, lead author of one of the studies. HLA proteins present peptides to immune cells called T cells. These mutant peptide-HLA complexes serve as antigens and mark cancer cells as foreign to the immune system.
Neanderthal genes also decrease the risk of severe COVID-19
A group of genes inherited from Neanderthals significantly reduce the risk of developing severe COVID-19.
The genomic region, located on chromosome 12, is associated with a 22 percent lower risk of requiring intensive care when infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19. The genetic variants are also expressed in up to half of the populations outside of Africa. It is striking that this Neanderthal gene variant has become so common in many parts of the world. This suggests that it has been favourable in the past, said Professor Svante Pääbo, joint author of the study.
Podcast Review: Sperm – swimming and surviving
Did you know that all successful sperm must be sleek, speedy and streamlined?
As both an avid podcast listener and a scientist myself, I am surprised that this was my first introduction to The Naked Scientists. The group host a plethora of different podcast series, with subjects ranging from neuroscience to astronomy. They release daily short episodes that concisely detail a single topic, as well as a longer weekly flagship podcast.
In this short episode, The Naked Scientist host and medical consultant, Dr Chris Smith, interviews sperm expert, Professor Allan Pacey, from the University of Sheffield. With just seven minutes to detail the focus of his entire academic career, Professor Pacey began by illustrating the structure of sperm, likening their cross-section to a stick of rock that you might buy at the seaside ; an analogy that can be appreciated by experts and non-experts alike, setting the tone for a broadly accessible podca