Study reveals insights into drug toxicity

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.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International