Study reveals insights into drug toxicity
Published: Feb. 26, 2008 at 10:35 AM
BOSTON, Feb. 26 (UPI) -- A new chemical "toolkit" created by U.S. scientists has provided insights into how mitochondria -- enzymes that generate energy in human cells -- function.
A Harvard Medical School research team led by Assistant Professor Dr. Vamsi Mootha developed the technique that isolates five primary aspects of mitochondrial function and then analyzes how individual drugs affect each of those areas.
"Historically, most studies on mitochondria were done by isolating them from their normal environment," said Mootha. "We wanted to analyze mitochondria in the context of intact cells, which would then give us a picture of how mitochondria relate to their natural surroundings. To do this we created a screening compendium that could then be mined with computation.
"It's just like taking your car in for an engine diagnostic," he added. "The mechanic will probe the battery, the exhaust system, the fan belt, etc., and as a result will then produce a read-out for the entire system. That's analogous to what we've done."
The research is published online in the journal Nature Biotechnology.
A Harvard Medical School research team led by Assistant Professor Dr. Vamsi Mootha developed the technique that isolates five primary aspects of mitochondrial function and then analyzes how individual drugs affect each of those areas.
"Historically, most studies on mitochondria were done by isolating them from their normal environment," said Mootha. "We wanted to analyze mitochondria in the context of intact cells, which would then give us a picture of how mitochondria relate to their natural surroundings. To do this we created a screening compendium that could then be mined with computation.
"It's just like taking your car in for an engine diagnostic," he added. "The mechanic will probe the battery, the exhaust system, the fan belt, etc., and as a result will then produce a read-out for the entire system. That's analogous to what we've done."
The research is published online in the journal Nature Biotechnology.
© 2008 United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
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This undated NASA image shows two galaxies that are slowly colliding and possibly, in hundreds of millions of years, only one galaxy will remain. Although it is likely that no stars in the two galaxies will directly collide, the gas, dust and ambient magnetic fields do interact directly. These galaxies, part of the vast Hydra-Centaurus supercluster of galaxies, spans over 100 thousand light-years across and is located about 100 million light-years away. (UPI Photo/NASA/ESA/Hubble Heritage)
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