Chemical shield stops DNA damage from triggering disease–'A paradigm shift'

tomwt — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 20:48:20 +0000

Chemical shield stops DNA damage from triggering disease–'A paradigm shift' tomwt Mon, 07/28/2025 - 13:48 More CNAS in the Media Andy Corbley | Good News Network July 28, 2025

GOOD NEWS NETWORK - A new chemical probe protects healthy cells from DNA damage, preserving them from one of the 8 hallmarks of aging.

The story of this potentially paradigmatic development begins where so much of human health begins: the mitochondria. These organelles are disrespectfully monikered as “the powerhouses” of the cell, but they do so much more than just provide cellular energy.

It’s so important, it even has its own DNA. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is separate from the DNA housed in a cell’s nucleus. While nuclear DNA contains the vast majority of the genetic code, mitochondria carry their own smaller genomes that are essential for cellular functions.

MtDNA exists in multiple copies per cell, but when damage occurs these copies are often degraded rather than repaired. If left unchecked, this degradation can set off a cascade of failures linked to heart conditions, neurodegeneration, and chronic inflammation.

Published in the German Chemical Society journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition, researchers at UC Riverside developed a chemical probe that binds to damaged sites in mitochondrial DNA and blocks the enzymatic processes that lead to its degradation.

“There are already pathways in cells that attempt repair,” said Linlin Zhao, UCR associate professor of chemistry, who led the project. “But degradation happens more frequently than repair due to the redundancy of mtDNA molecules in mitochondria. Our strategy is to stop the loss before it becomes a problem.”

Read the Full Article

Chemical breakthrough shields mitochondrial DNA before damage triggers chronic disease

tomwt — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 18:35:06 +0000

Chemical breakthrough shields mitochondrial DNA before damage triggers chronic disease tomwt Mon, 07/21/2025 - 11:35 More CNAS in the Media Neetika Walter | Interesting Engineering July 21, 2025

INTERESTING ENGINEERING - From Alzheimer’s to heart failure, many chronic diseases have been linked to damage in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA).

Now, scientists at the University of California, Riverside, may have found a way to halt the damage before it begins.

The team has developed a chemical probe that targets damage in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), a small but essential genome housed in the cell’s energy-producing structures.

...

“There are already pathways in cells that attempt repair,” said Linlin Zhao, UCR associate professor of chemistry, who led the project.

Read the Full Article