Nature is often the best model for science. For almost a century, scientists have been trying to recreate the ability of some mammals and birds to survive extreme environmental conditions for short or prolonged periods, transporting torpor when body temperature and decrease in metabolic rate, allowing them to maintain energy.
Inspired by nature, Hong Chen, a professor of biomedical engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering and Neurosurgery at Washu Medicine and an interdisciplinary team caused a reversible condition that resembles Torpor in mice using focused ultrasound to stimulate the ultrasound. Adjusting body temperature and body metabolism. In addition to the mouse, which of course goes to the Torpor, Chen and her team caused the torpor in a rat, which is not what it does. Their findings, published in 2023 in Metabolism of natureIt showed the first non -invasive and safe method to cause a state -like condition, targeting the central nervous system.
Now, the group seeks to translate the induced, or synthetic, Torpor into possible solutions for humans, such as when there is reduced blood flow to tissues or organs, to maintain organs for transplantation or to protect against radiation during space journey.
Conventional medical interventions focus on increasing energy supply, such as restoring blood flow to the brain after a stroke. Synthetic Torpor seeks to do the opposite of reducing energy demand.
“Synthetic Torpor’s ability to regulate the metabolism of the whole body promises to transform medicine by offering new strategies for medical interventions,” Chen said in a perspective document published in the Metabolism of nature July 31.
The synthetic torpor has been successfully used in preclinical models with medicines and specialized nervous circuit targeting, but there are challenges to adapt these methods for humans. Previous trials of human beings were terminated early due to security concerns.
“Our challenges include overcoming metabolic differences between animals and humans, choosing the right dose of medicines and creating ways to allow a reversible condition that resembles the torpor,” said Wenbo Wu, a biomedical engineering doctowal Student in Chen and the first writer of assistal paper, Chen and Genshiro Sunagawa by Riken Center for Biosysystes Dynamics Research Inlanial Indan. “The collaboration between scientists, clinical doctors and ethics will be critical for developing safe, effective and scalable solutions for synthetic torpor to make a practical solution to medicine.”
Chen’s team, including Yaoheng (Mack) Yang, who was a postdoctoral research partner in her workshop and is now an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Southern California, aims at the nervous circuit with the induced Torpor solution. They created an awesome ultrasound morphos to stimulate neurons in the hypothalamus. When stimulated, the mice showed a drop in body temperature about 3 degrees C for about an hour. In addition, mice metabolism has shown a change from the use of both carbohydrates and fat for fat energy, a key feature of Torpor and their heart rate decreased by 47%, all while at room temperature.
Ultrasound is the only non -invasive energy method capable of safely penetrating the skull and precisely targeting deep brain structures. While ultrasound neurotransmitation does not have a cell -type specialization compared to genetic -based neuromoding, it provides a non -invasive alternative to causing synthetic torpor without the need for genetic modifications. “
Hong Chen, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, McKelvey Engineering and Neurosurgery, Washu Medicine
Chen and her team show that synthetic Torpor offers a very promising therapeutic strategy with additional applications, including inhibition of tumor development and the possible development of new treatments for TAU -related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease. However, many remain unknown about how the areas of the brain, regional organs and cell streets coordinate metabolic repression and stimulation. Researchers should also study the long -term risks and potential side effects and require more preclinical studies and technological innovations that will facilitate a double approach, which will include the formation of nerve circuits associated with hypoconetism and the effect of regional or peripherals.
“Synthetic Torpor is no longer just a theoretical concept – it is an emerging field with the ability to redefine medicine,” Chen said. “Fundamental neuroscience, biomedical and translation medicine will be the key to overcoming today’s challenges and promoting synthetic torpor to real world applications.
Source:
Magazine report:
Yang, Y, et al. (2023). Induction of a hypothermic and hypothentic state that resembles Torpor in rodents with ultrasound. Metabolism of nature. Doi.org/10.1038/S42255-023-00804-Z.
