Reprogramming Kidney Repair
In kidney cells, energy generation and repair mechanisms alternate as needed. Case Western Reserve University researchers believe they now know how this happens. As this piece reports, “A key molecule in the process is nitric oxide (NO). It was already known that NO protects kidneys and other tissue. NO is the active ingredient in nitroglycerine used for addressing heart disease so it was assumed that NO worked by dilating blood vessels. But the research team found that NO attached to a critical molecule called Co-enzyme A — known as a metabolite — linked to the glycolysis and energy production. Co-enzyme A binds to and transports NO into many different proteins, including PKM2, “turning them off.” In effect, these scientists have discovered a crucial switch in kidney health. MORE
Image Credit: Medical Graphics