Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have discovered that fat-filled lipid droplets, much smaller than fat cells, can potentially puncture and damage a cell’s nucleus, leading to elevated DNA damage associated with diseases like cancer. The findings challenge traditional views on fat, emphasizing its physical properties at microscales rather than just its metabolic functions.
The study was led by Dennis E. Discher, Robert D. Bent Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Irena Ivanovska, Ph.D. Research Associate in Penn’s Molecular and Cell Biophysics Lab, and Michael Tobin, Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Bioengineering. The team’s research reframes scientific inquiry into fat, underlining that fat’s role in the body is much more than just a number on the scales.
“There’s a constant process of repair to DNA damage that goes on in cells,” says Ivanovska. “For this to happen, the nucleus needs to have enough DNA repair proteins. If a nucleus is ruptured, these proteins scatter and cannot repair damage in a timely manner. This causes DNA damage accumulation and can potentially result in a cancer cell.”
United States United States Latest News, United States United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: physorg_com - 🏆 388. / 55 Read more »