Chinese scientists discover a family of proteins that accelerate cellular aging
Scientists recently discovered that an increased level of a protein known as PAPPA – pregnancy-associated plasma protein type A, further stimulated by a family of signaling proteins – sirtuins – is a common factor of aging in several types of human cells.
Researchers from the Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Beijing Institute of Genomics conducted the study led by Liu Guanghui, Qu Jing and Zhang Weiqi.
Researchers have long doubted PAPPA's influence on aging, but have now confirmed that this element does not work alone, but is further accentuated by sirtuins. The study was published in Developmental Cell
The function of the Sirtuins
Sirtuin proteins that drive aging are essential for regulating metabolism and cellular processes. There are seven of these proteins, normally referred to as SIRT1-7.
Furthermore, the study also reported that deficiency of any of the seven sirtuins led to accelerated cellular aging.
When a sirtuin is not in the correct amount, it paves the way for the movement of PAPPA. This led to abnormal gene expression, triggering cellular senescence when cells stop dividing.
The study shared new insights into the aging process, particularly highlighting the role of PAPPA. Although it was first identified as one of four proteins found at high levels in the plasma of pregnant women, PAPPA's function remained unknown for decades, as reported by the South China Morning Post .
PAPPA levels in the new study were observed to be significantly higher in the plasma of an older person, compared to a younger one. The study highlighted that this protein could serve as a potential biomarker of human aging.”
Scientists have looked at sirtuins with the aim of studying whether or not calorie restriction slows the aging process, but now it is a question of evaluating how sirtuins act on target cells and how they interact with PAPPA. There are hypotheses but now a new line of studies on cellular aging is opening up.
Connections between sirtuins and potential target genes
“This result provides new insights into elucidating the mechanism of human stem cell senescence and offers new clues and ideas for evaluating and intervening in aging,” the paper reads.
The scientists' observations led them to study a 3D chromatin architecture. “We have established connections between sirtuins and potential target genes, thus informing the development of aging intervention strategies,” the authors stated in the study.
In early November, the Academy embarked on another piece of research particularly focused on aging. They announced the discovery of a unique group of cells surrounding motor neurons in the spinal cord that could potentially accelerate the aging process.
The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Cell, published March 13, 2024.
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This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/scienziati-cinesi-scoprono-una-famiglia-di-proteine-che-accelerano-linvecchiamento-cellulare/ on Fri, 22 Mar 2024 10:00:27 +0000.