Skip to main content
News Preiffer 06.2020
Prof. Dr. Alexander Pfeifer (left) and Dr. Thorsten Gnad (right) from the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University Hospital Bonn.
© Katharina Wislsperger/UKBonn

Publication

Receptor makes mice strong and slim

Study by the University of Bonn identifies molecule that regulates two side effects of aging

Increasing abdominal girth and shrinking muscles are two common side effects of aging. Researchers at the University of Bonn from the Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation have discovered a receptor in mice that regulates both effects. Experiments with human cell cultures suggest that the corresponding signaling pathways might also exist in humans. The study, which also involved researchers from Spain, Finland, Belgium, Denmark and the USA, has now been published in the renowned journal "Cell Metabolism".

Publication

Thorsten Gnad, Gemma Navarro, Minna Lahesmaa, Laia Reverte-Salisa, Francesca Copperi, Arnau Cordomi, Jennifer Naumann, Aileen Hochhäuser, Saskia Haufs-Brusberg, Daniela Wenzel, Frank Suhr, Naja Zenius Jespersen, Camilla Scheele, Volodymyr Tsvilovskyy, Christian Brinkmann, Joern Rittweger, Christian Dani, Mathias Kranz, Winnie Deuther-Conrad, Holger K. Eltzschig, Tarja Niemi, Markku Taittonen, Peter Brust, Pirjo Nuutila, Leonardo Pardo, Bernd K. Fleischmann, Matthias Blüher, Rafael Franco, Wilhelm Bloch, Kirsi A. Virtanen, Alexander Pfeifer: Adenosine/A2B receptor signaling ameliorates the effects of ageing and counteracts obesity. Cell Metabolism, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2020.06.006

Related news

Wissenschaftler

Publication

Driver of inflammation after mild head injury

—Mild traumatic brain injuries can lead to persistent memory problems and an increased risk of dementia. Yet, effective therapies to counteract these long-term consequences are still lacking. Dr. Dr. Sergio Castro-Gomez, Early Career Research Group Leader at the Institute of Physiology II of the University Hospital Bonn has discovered together with colleagues that the ASC protein. The research team hopes to identify new targets for future therapeutic strategies. The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, lays the foundation for upcoming clinical trials.
View entry
PM Immunity Nebeling

Publication

Study reveals dynamic interactions between brain tumors and immune cells

—Glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive brain tumor in adults, is difficult to treat because this cancer can invade the surrounding brain tissue and spread far beyond the original tumor mass. Researchers from the DZNE, the University Hospital Bonn (UKB), and ImmunoSensation³ at the University of Bonn have observed this infiltration process in the living brain using high-tech microscopy. Their study is based on research in mice with a form of brain tumor that closely resembles human glioblastoma.
View entry
Nora Möhn

Publication

New Findings on Immunotherapy for a Rare Brain Infection

—Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a rare but very serious brain disease. It is caused by the reactivation of the widespread JC virus when the immune system is severely weakened. There is currently no targeted antiviral therapy available, which is why new treatment approaches are urgently needed. In recent years, so-called immune checkpoint inhibitors have been increasingly used; these “unlock” the immune system and reactivate the body’s own immune cells. The results were recently published in the journal JAMA Neurology.
View entry

Back to the news overview