“Exploitative” online money gaming in India is harming people’s financial and mental health and causing deep social problems, a new study shows.

Scientists have discovered how a mitochondrial mutation rewires immune function in a model of inherited primary mitochondrial disorders, which often lead to severe disability and death. They have discovered that this single inherited mutation causes whole-body issues in an animal model after its immune response is sparked into action.

Although the scientists stress the research is at a relatively early stage, it is one of the first pieces of work to show that a heritable mitochondrial DNA mutation can independently remodel immune cell function and inflammatory signalling. 

It thus offers a plausible hypothesis as to why individuals with inherited primary mitochondrial disorders often experience problems with multiple organs and suffer repeated infections and sepsis. Additionally, it puts a potential target on specific links in the immune response chain that offer the greatest potential for therapeutic success.