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January 28, 2004
Death-Defying Approach Devised by Penn Scientists to
Prevent Cell Apoptosis
(Philadelphia, PA) - When recovering from a heart attack
or stroke, the body must restore blood flow in order
to resupply cells with oxygen. Ironically, the process
of reoxygenation - so necessary for full recovery -
also generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), molecules
that induce apoptosis, or cellular death. Now, researchers
at the University of Pennsylvania School of
Medicine and the University of Iowa have identified
a biochemical strategy to block ROS - which effectively
prevents cellular damage and death. Their study is published
in February’s Proceedings of the Natural Academy
of Sciences.
“We’ve known that oxidation can induce apoptosis,”
said Toshinori Hoshi, PhD, Associate
Professor in Penn’s Department of Physiology.
“We also knew that the enzyme methionine sulfoxide
reductase type A - or MSRA - is a catalyst in reversing
the oxidation of the amino acid methionine, an important
building block of proteins.”
After using gene-transfer technology to insert extra
MRSA into cells, the researchers noticed that the enzyme-packed
cells were now protected from the damaging effects of
ROS. “Not only were cells protected by an overproduction
of MRSA, but our tests showed that the adverse oxidation
process was reversed,” explains Hoshi.
“Oxidative stress is thought to be associated
with many medical conditions, such as diseases related
to aging and the heart,” continues Hoshi. “Given
our findings, it may be possible to prevent such stress,
and thereby treat disease, by boosting the amount of
MSRA in the body so its protein-repair properties are
unleashed.”
This research is funded by the National Institutes of
Health.
For
a printer friendly version of this release, click
here.
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PENN Medicine is
a $2.2 billion enterprise dedicated to the related missions
of medical education, biomedical research, and high-quality
patient care. PENN Medicine consists of the University
of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (founded in 1765
as the nation’s first medical school) and the
University of Pennsylvania Health System (created in
1993 as the nation’s first integrated academic
health system).
Penn’s School of Medicine is ranked #2 in the
nation for receipt of NIH research funds; and ranked
#4 in the nation in U.S. News & World Report’s
most recent ranking of top research-oriented medical
schools. Supporting 1,400 fulltime faculty and 700 students,
the School of Medicine is recognized worldwide for its
superior education and training of the next generation
of physician-scientists and leaders of academic medicine.
Penn Health System consists of four hospitals (including
its flagship Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania,
consistently rated one of the nation’s “Honor
Roll” hospitals by U.S. News & World Report),
a faculty practice plan, a primary-care provider network,
three multispecialty satellite facilities, and home
health care and hospice.
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