PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Throwing a ‘spanner in the works’ of our cells’ machinery could help fight cancer, fatty liver disease… and hair loss

2025-04-18
(Press-News.org) Fifty years since its discovery, scientists have finally worked out how a molecular machine found in mitochondria, the ‘powerhouses’ of our cells, allows us to make the fuel we need from sugars, a process vital to all life on Earth.

Scientists at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, have worked out the structure of this machine and shown how it operates like the lock on a canal to transport pyruvate – a molecule generated in the body from the breakdown of sugars – into our mitochondria.

Known as the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier, this molecular machine was first proposed to exist in 1971, but it has taken until now for scientists to visualise its structure at the atomic scale using cryo-electron microscopy, a technique used to magnify an image of an object to around 165,000 times its real size. Details are published today in Science Advances.

Dr Sotiria Tavoulari, a Senior Research Associate from the University of Cambridge, who first determined the composition of this molecular machine, said: “Sugars in our diet provide energy for our bodies to function. When they are broken down inside our cells they produce pyruvate, but to get the most out of this molecule it needs to be transferred inside the cell’s powerhouses, the mitochondria. There, it helps increase 15-fold the energy produced in the form of the cellular fuel ATP.”

Maximilian Sichrovsky, a PhD student at Hughes Hall and joint first author of the study, said: “Getting pyruvate into our mitochondria sounds straightforward, but until now we haven’t been able to understand the mechanism of how this process occurs. Using state-of-the-art cryo-electron microscopy, we’ve been able to show not only what this transporter looks like, but exactly how it works. It’s an extremely important process, and understanding it could lead to new treatments for a range of different conditions.”

Mitochondria are surrounded by two membranes. The outer one is porous, and pyruvate can easily pass through, but the inner membrane is impermeable to pyruvate. To transport pyruvate into the mitochondrion, first an outer ‘gate’ of the carrier opens, allowing pyruvate to enter the carrier. This gate then closes, and the inner gate opens, allowing the molecule to pass through into the mitochondrion.

“It works like the locks on a canal but on the molecular scale,” said Professor Edmund Kunji from the MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, and a Fellow at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. “There, a gate opens at one end, allowing the boat to enter. It then closes and the gate at the opposite end opens to allow the boat smooth transit through.”

Because of its central role in controlling the way mitochondria operate to produce energy, this carrier is now recognised as a promising drug target for a range of conditions, including diabetes, fatty liver disease, Parkinson’s disease, specific cancers, and even hair loss.

Pyruvate is not the only energy source available to us. Our cells can also take their energy from fats stored in the body or from amino acids in proteins. Blocking the pyruvate carrier would force the body to look elsewhere for its fuel – creating opportunities to treat a number of diseases. In fatty liver disease, for example, blocking access to pyruvate entry into mitochondria could encourage the body to use potentially dangerous fat that has been stored in liver cells.

Likewise, there are certain tumour cells that rely on pyruvate metabolism, such as in some types of prostate cancer. These cancers tend to be very ‘hungry’, producing excess pyruvate transport carriers to ensure they can feed more. Blocking the carrier could then starve these cancer cells of the energy they need to survive, killing them.

Previous studies have also suggested that inhibiting the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier may reverse hair loss. Activation of human follicle cells, which are responsible for hair growth, relies on metabolism and, in particular, the generation of lactate. When the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier is blocked from entering the mitochondria in these cells, it is instead converted to lactate.

Professor Kunji said: “Drugs inhibiting the function of the carrier can remodel how mitochondria work, which can be beneficial in certain conditions. Electron microscopy allows us to visualise exactly how these drugs bind inside the carrier to jam it – a spanner in the works, you could say. This creates new opportunities for structure-based drug design in order to develop better, more targeted drugs. This will be a real game changer.”

The research was supported by the Medical Research Council and was a collaboration with the groups of Professors Vanessa Leone at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Lucy Forrest at the National Institutes of Health, and Jan Steyaert at the Free University of Brussels.

Reference

Sichrovsky, M, Lacabanne, D, Ruprecht, JJ & Rana, JJ et al. Molecular basis of pyruvate transport and inhibition of the human mitochondrial pyruvate carrier. Sci Adv; 18 Apr 2025; DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adw1489

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Research identifies key enzyme target to fight deadly brain cancers

2025-04-18
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Researchers have found that targeting an enzyme called PGM3 can help stop the growth of glioblastoma, the most dangerous type of brain tumor. This enzyme plays a vital role in the hexosamine synthesis pathway, which is involved in the processes of protein and lipid glycosylation that allow tumors to rapidly grow. Lipid glycosylation is a process where sugar molecules attach to fats (lipids) in the body. Researchers with The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James and Richard J. Solove Research Institute believe that targeting PGM3 can reduce tumor growth and eliminate glioblastoma cells. “This ...

New study unveils volcanic history and clues to ancient life on Mars

2025-04-18
In a groundbreaking study co-authored by a Texas A&M University scientist, researchers have revealed new insights into the geological history of Mars' Jezero Crater, the landing site of NASA’s Perseverance rover. Their findings suggest that the crater's floor is composed of a diverse array of iron-rich volcanic rocks, providing a window into the planet’s distant past and the closest chance yet to uncover signs of ancient life. Research scientist Dr. Michael Tice, who studies geobiology and sedimentary geology in the Texas A&M College of Arts and ...

Monell Center study identifies GLP-1 therapies as a possible treatment for rare genetic disorder Bardet-Biedl syndrome

2025-04-18
PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 17, 2025) – A Monell Chemical Senses Center study published this week in the Journal of Clinical Investigation offers renewed hope for individuals living with Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS), a rare genetic disorder characterized by early-onset obesity, compulsive eating, and cognitive impairments. The Monell team and colleagues identified that GLP-1 receptor agonists, a class of drugs currently used to treat type-2 diabetes and obesity, as a promising therapeutic for managing the metabolic complications associated with BBS. They used ...

Scientists probe the mystery of Titan’s missing deltas

2025-04-18
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — For scientists who want to learn about the geological history of a planet, river deltas are a great place to start. Deltas gather sediment from a large area into one place, which can be studied to reveal climate and tectonic histories or signs of past life. That’s why NASA sent its most recent Mars rover to Jezero Crater, home to a prominent and well-preserved delta.  And that’s why planetary scientists are also interested in finding deltas on Saturn’s moon Titan. Titan is the only planetary body ...

Q&A: What makes an ‘accidental dictator’ in the workplace?

2025-04-18
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The professional world has no shortage of micromanagers — or, as Penn State School of Labor and Employment Relations (LER) faculty members Craig L. Pearce and Hee Man Park like to call them, “accidental dictators.” But leaders don’t have to fall into that trap, according to an article published in the journal Organizational Dynamics co-written by Pearce, Brova Family Endowed Professor of leadership and human resources, and Park, associate professor of human resource management and director of LER’s graduate program. The journal’s readership is largely made up ...

Lehigh University water scientist Arup K. SenGupta honored with ASCE Freese Award and Lecture

2025-04-18
Lehigh University Senior Research Scientist Arup K. SenGupta, a professor emeritus in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is the 2025 recipient of the Simon W. Freese Environmental Engineering Award and Lecture, presented by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). SenGupta, an ASCE Fellow, is an internationally recognized water scientist whose research has led to sustainable solutions for removing arsenic, fluoride, and other contaminants from drinking water around the world. His pioneering work in ion exchange science has also advanced technologies for desalination, wastewater reclamation, and carbon ...

Study highlights gaps in firearm suicide prevention among women

2025-04-18
Just under 4 in 10 women who died by firearm suicide had no documented history of mental or physical health problems in a new study, highlighting a need for prevention strategies tailored to at-risk women. The findings come at a time when suicides have been on the rise, alongside a surge in gun ownership — especially among women, said lead author Laura Prater, an assistant professor in The Ohio State University College of Public Health. In the last two decades, firearm deaths in the U.S., including those involving suicide, increased by almost 50%. Women historically made up 10 to 20% of new gun owners, a percentage ...

People with medical debt five times more likely to not receive mental health care treatment

2025-04-18
People with medical debt in 2023 were about five times more likely to forgo mental health care treatment in the following year due to cost, compared to those without medical debt, according to a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. For their study, the researchers analyzed 2023 and 2024 data from a nationwide survey related to mental health. The researchers found that 33.8% of respondents who reported having had medical debt in 2023 also reported forgoing mental health care for cost-related reasons in 2024, compared ...

Hydronidone for the treatment of liver fibrosis associated with chronic hepatitis B

2025-04-18
Background and Aims Liver fibrosis is a key process in the progression of chronic liver diseases. However, there are currently no drugs specifically designed to treat liver fibrosis. Our Phase 2 trial of hydronidone for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB)-associated liver fibrosis showed that adding hydronidone to entecavir resulted in significant reversal of liver fibrosis. To further evaluate the efficacy of a 270 mg/day dose of hydronidone for treating liver fibrosis associated with CHB, we conducted ...

Rise in claim denial rates for cancer-related advanced genetic testing

2025-04-18
Both the use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) testing for cancer and the rate of claim denials for such testing increased between 2016 and 2021, despite implementation of a recent Medicare national coverage determination that established coverage standards for NGS testing. The analysis by Georgetown University researchers and colleagues, and funded by a grant from the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health, appears April 18, 2025, in JAMA Network Open. The researchers point to several possible ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: May 9, 2025

Stability solution brings unique form of carbon closer to practical application

New research illustrates the relationship between moral outrage on social media and activism

New enzyme capable of cleaving cellulose should revolutionize biofuel production

Krebs von den Lungen-6 as a biomarker for distinguishing between interstitial lung disease and interstitial lung abnormalities based on computed tomography findings

Chimpanzee groups drum with distinct rhythms

Wasp mums use remarkable memory when feeding offspring

Americans’ use of illicit opioids is higher than previously reported

Estimates of illicit opioid use in the U.S.

Effectiveness and safety of RSV vaccine for U.S. adults age 60 or older

Mass General Brigham researchers share tool to improve newborn genetic screening

Can frisky flies save human lives?

Heart rhythm disorder traced to bacterium lurking in our gums

American Society of Plant Biologists names 2025 award recipients

Protecting Iceland’s towns from lava flows – with dirt

Noninvasive intracranial source signal localization and decoding with high spatiotemporal resolution

A smarter way to make sulfones: Using molecular oxygen and a functional catalyst

Self-assembly of a large metal-peptide capsid nanostructure through geometric control

Fatty liver in pregnancy may increase risk of preterm birth

World record for lithium-ion conductors

Researchers map 7,000-year-old genetic mutation that protects against HIV

KIST leads next-generation energy storage technology with development of supercapacitor that overcomes limitations

Urine, not water for efficient production of green hydrogen

Chip-scale polydimethylsiloxane acousto-optic phase modulator boosts higher-resolution plasmonic comb spectroscopy

Blood test for many cancers could potentially thwart progression to late stage in up to half of cases

Women non-smokers still around 50% more likely than men to develop COPD

AI tool uses face photos to estimate biological age and predict cancer outcomes

North Korea’s illegal wildlife trade threatens endangered species

Health care workers, firefighters have increased PFAS levels, study finds

Turning light into usable energy

[Press-News.org] Throwing a ‘spanner in the works’ of our cells’ machinery could help fight cancer, fatty liver disease… and hair loss