(Press-News.org) A new study from The University of Texas at Arlington details a novel strategy for how the body clears out dead cells during stress, revealing unexpected roles for well-known stress-response genes—a discovery that could help scientists better understand diseases affecting the immune system, brain and metabolism.
“The body is constantly creating new cells and removing old cells once they die,” said Aladin Elkhalil, lead author of the study and a third-year doctoral student in the lab of Piya Ghose, assistant professor of biology at UT Arlington. “This removal of dead cells is just as important as creating new ones, because if the body is unable to rid itself of dead cells, it can lead to various health problems”
Published in the peer-reviewed, open-access journal PLoS Genetics, the study was conducted on the roundworm C. elegans by Dr. Ghose, Elkhalil and Alec Whited, another graduate student in the Ghose lab. This tiny, transparent organism is a widely used tool in genetic research because its see-through body allows scientists to observe live cell behavior, including how cells die. The research team took advantage of these unique features in several innovative ways.
Related: UTA student links worm behavior to brain disease
“This has been an exciting study, where stress meets cell behavior,” said Ghose. “It’s fascinating to see how our cells adapt to changes in their surroundings and still perform their normal functions. Understanding that process is essential to our normal physiology and development.”
The team examined stress-response genes—many of which have human counterparts—in a new context: how they help remove dying cells. Using tools like CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology, they manipulated these genes to identify a specific stress-response pathway that activates to help in the removal of dying cells.
Using state-of-the-art live imaging, the researchers were able to characterize this stress-response pathway by observing key components of the cell clearance machinery in action. This allowed them to see when and how stress-related and clearance genes are switched on during the removal process.
A key gene was identified: The human version, known as lyst, is linked to Chediak-Higashi Syndrome, a rare disorder in which cells struggle clearing out debris, leading to immune system problems.
Related: UTA junior receives NIH funding for summer research
“One of the novel findings in our study is that the worm version of this gene is controlled by classical stress-response genes, which was previously unknown,” Elkhalil said. “An intriguing question is why this pathway needs to be in place at all. That leaves us with an exciting avenue for future research.”
This work was supported by The Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) (RR100091) and the National Institutes of Health–National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R35GM142489).
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
Celebrating its 130th anniversary in 2025, The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of the thriving Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. With a student body of over 41,000, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation’s top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 280,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.
END
Stress genes clear dead cells, offering disease insights
UTA researchers uncover a new cell-clearance pathway linked to diseases affecting immunity and brain health
2025-06-09
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Healthy sleep patterns in adolescence predict better cardiovascular health in the future
2025-06-09
DARIEN, IL – A new study to be presented at the SLEEP 2025 annual meeting found that teens with earlier, more efficient, and less variable sleep patterns at age 15 had better cardiovascular health at age 22.
Results show that several healthy sleep habits at age 15 predicted a higher (better) cardiovascular health score at age 22: falling asleep and waking up earlier, spending a lower percentage of time in bed awake, and having lower variability in total sleep time and sleep onset. In contrast, average total sleep time did not predict future cardiovascular health. Results were adjusted for potential confounders ...
A study led by CIC bioGUNE delves into the complexity of the most aggressive form of prostate cancer
2025-06-09
Cancer cannot be understood as a single, uniform disease. The more we delve into studying each type of tumor, the more we recognize the need to subclassify the disease. This concept has led to what we now call precision oncology, characterizing the molecular features of a patient's specific cancer to determine the most effective treatment.
Prostate cancer is considered the most prevalent tumor among men, and it typically has a high cure rate. As such, although many men will be diagnosed with this cancer, the majority will be cured. "However, when we refer ...
Effects of psilocybin on religious and spiritual attitudes and behaviors in clergy from major world religions
2025-06-09
A new study in the peer-reviewed journal Psychedelic Medicine showed that psilocybin administration in a sample of clergy from major world religions increased multiple domains of overall psychological well-being, including positive changes in religious attitudes and behavior as well as effectiveness in their vocation as a religious leader. Click here to read the article now.
The late Roland Griffiths, of Johns Hopkins University, along with Stephen Ross and Anthony Bossis, from New York University Grossman School ...
Investigating how stress may cause sleep and memory deficits
2025-06-09
Stress worsens sleep quality and can impair memory. Shinjae Chung, from the University of Pennsylvania, led a study to explore a neural pathway in male mice that stress may influence to cause sleep and memory disturbances.
In their JNeurosci paper, the researchers artificially activated neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) that were previously linked to stress. This experimental manipulation made mice sleep less and impaired how well mice performed in a memory task. Notably, when mice were stressed, artificially inhibiting these PVN neurons reduced stress-related memory ...
Researchers find thousands of pediatric firearm deaths linked to more permissive state gun laws
2025-06-09
Guns are now the leading cause of death for youth in the United States. Researcher from Mass General Brigham investigated whether firearm mortality rates among U.S. children ages 0-17 changed in the 13 years following a 2010 Supreme Court ruling that applied the Second Amendment to state and local governments. In states with the most permissive firearm laws, they found evidence of 6,029 more pediatric deaths due to firearms than would have been expected based on the existing demographic trends—and more than 1,400 excess ...
Landmark test for coeliac disease promises to take away the pain of diagnosis
2025-06-09
Imagine having to eat something that makes you sick – just to see what’s making you ill in the first place.
That’s the harsh reality of current diagnostic tests for coeliac disease, which require people to eat large amounts of gluten for weeks in order to get an accurate diagnosis.
But this painful process could soon be a thing of the past, with WEHI researchers and industry partner Novoviah Pharmaceuticals developing a world-first blood test that can identify the condition in patients – even when they’re on gluten-free diets.
At a glance
New clinical research published in the high-impact ...
A recipe for success: beefing up the taste of cultured meat with amino acids
2025-06-09
Tokyo, Japan – Across the world the demand for meat is growing, despite associated environmental and animal welfare costs. Although lab-grown – or cultured – meat could be part of the answer, scientists have yet to perfect one crucial detail: the taste.
In an article to be published in Food Chemistry, researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, have measured and found a way to control the key amino acids responsible for flavor in a step toward making cultured meat taste just like the real thing.
The push toward cultured meat has been adopted because conventional production is not a sustainable solution for ...
Protecting peppers from devastating viral diseases through gene pyramiding
2025-06-09
Even with today’s advanced agricultural technologies, plant diseases can still be extremely devastating to crops, causing billions of dollars in losses worldwide every year. Begomoviruses represent a prominent example of this threat—these whitefly-transmitted pathogens cause yellow leaf curl disease in peppers and can destroy up to 100% of fruit yield in affected fields across Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
Breeding crops that are resistant to begomoviruses has long been the most effective and widely used strategy for preventing such massive losses. Though usually effective, this approach has serious limitations, especially when dealing with mixed infections. Scientists ...
Lizards of Madagascar
2025-06-09
Kyoto, Japan -- After the island of Madagascar drifted away from India 88 million years ago, isolating it from all other landmasses, its flora and fauna evolved in seclusion. As these transformed into plants and animals completely unique to their island, Madagascar became a biodiversity hotspot unlike anywhere else on Earth.
An important facet of this biodiversity is an ecological process called endozoochory, which is when animals eat plant seeds and then poop them out somewhere else, aiding in the spread of the plants. Most research on endozoochory has focused on the roles of ...
Beyond the brain: how BCIs are rewiring medicine and redefining humanity
2025-06-09
Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology is opening an unprecedented chapter in human-machine integration by establishing direct communication between the brain and external devices. Once a science fiction concept, BCI is now reshaping the landscape of neurosurgery and neurorehabilitation. By decoding brain signals to restore lost motor, sensory, and language functions, BCIs offer new hope for individuals affected by paralysis, aphasia, and neurodegenerative diseases. But their impact extends well beyond the clinic—BCIs are poised to influence cognition, ethical governance, and national security. As this disruptive technology matures, ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Danforth Plant Science Center adds two new faculty members
Robotic eyes mimic human vision for superfast response to extreme lighting
Racial inequities and access to COVID-19 treatment
Residential segregation and lung cancer risk in African American adults
Scientists wipe out aggressive brain cancer tumors by targeting cellular ‘motors’
Capturability distinction analysis of continuous and pulsed guidance laws
CHEST expands Bridging Specialties Initiative to include NTM disease and bronchiectasis on World Bronchiectasis Day
Exposure to air pollution may cause heart damage
SwRI, UTSA selected by NASA to test electrolyzer technology aboard parabolic flight
Prebiotics might be a factor in preventing or treating issues caused by low brain GABA
Youngest in class at higher risk of mental health problems
American Heart Association announces new volunteer leaders for 2025-26
Gut microbiota analysis can help catch gestational diabetes
FAU’s Paulina DeVito awarded prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Champions for change – Paid time off initiative just made clinical trials participation easier
Fentanyl detection through packaging
Prof. Eran Meshorer elected to EMBO for pioneering work in epigenetics
New 3D glacier visualizations provide insights into a hotter Earth
Creativity across disciplines
Consequences of low Antarctic sea ice
Hear here: How loudness and acoustic cues help us judge where a speaker is facing
A unique method of rare-earth recycling can strengthen the raw material independence of Europe and America
Epilepsy self-management program shows promise to control seizures, improve mood and quality of life
Fat may play an important role in brain metabolism
New study finds no lasting impact of pandemic pet ownership on human well-being
New insights on genetic damage of some chemotherapies could guide future treatments with less harmful side effects
Gut microbes could protect us from toxic ‘forever chemicals’
Novel modelling links sea ice loss to Antarctic ice shelf calving events
Scientists can tell how fast you're aging from a single brain scan
U.S. uterine cancer incidence and mortality rates expected to significantly increase by 2050
[Press-News.org] Stress genes clear dead cells, offering disease insightsUTA researchers uncover a new cell-clearance pathway linked to diseases affecting immunity and brain health