Publications by authors named "Minoo Hamraz"

Hyperosmotic conditions are associated to several pathological states. In this article, we evaluate the consequence of hyperosmotic medium on cellular energy metabolism. We demonstrate that exposure of cells to hyperosmotic conditions immediately reduces the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation rate.

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In the recent years, cancer research succeeded with sensitive detection methods, targeted drug delivery systems, and the identification of a large set of genes differently expressed. However, although most therapies are still based on antimitotic agents, which are causing wide secondary effects, there is an increasing interest for metabolic therapies that can minimize side effects. In the early 20 century, Otto Warburg revealed that cancer cells rely on the cytoplasmic fermentation of glucose to lactic acid for energy synthesis (called "Warburg effect").

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Introduction: Exposure to traumatic brain injury is a core risk factor that predisposes an individual to sporadic neurodegenerative diseases. We provide evidence that mechanical stress increases brain levels of hallmark proteins associated with neurodegeneration.

Methods: Wild-type mice were exposed to multiple regimens of repetitive mild traumatic brain injury, generating a range of combinations of impact energies, frequencies, and durations of exposure.

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To better understand the energetic status of proliferating cells, we have measured the intracellular pH (pHi) and concentrations of key metabolites, such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) in normal and cancer cells, extracted from fresh human colon tissues. Cells were sorted by elutriation and segregated in different phases of the cell cycle (G0/G1/S/G2/M) in order to study their redox (NAD, NADP) and bioenergetic (ATP, pHi) status. Our results show that the average ATP concentration over the cell cycle is higher and the pHi is globally more acidic in normal proliferating cells.

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