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Scientists discover how mitochondria import antioxidants

November 4, 2021

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Many of the processes that keep us alive also put us at risk. The energy-producing chemical reactions in our cells, for example, also produce free radicals — unstable molecules that steal electrons from other molecules. When generated in surplus, free radicals can cause collateral damage, potentially triggering malfunctions such as cancer, neurodegeneration, or cardiovascular disease.

Cells solve this problem by synthesizing antioxidants, compounds that neutralize free radicals. In a new study, Rockefeller scientists identify a key molecule that ferries glutathione, the body’s major antioxidant, into the cell’s mitochondria, where free radicals are produced en masse. The discovery, published in Nature, opens new possibilities for investigating oxidative stress and its damaging effects.

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