How to restore aging immunity
Over the past decades, human life expectancy has increased significantly, which has led to an increase in the risk of developing age-related diseases, such as cancer and osteoporosis. As a result, the last years of life will be a hard test for many of us.
The director of the Austrian Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Professor Josef Penninger, plans to change the current situation. In his vision, in the future, even people aged 85 and older will be able to lead an active life without the risk of fractures, cancer and other problems of old age.
More than 10 years ago, Professor Penninger demonstrated that the RANKL protein is the main regulator of the process of bone degeneration. The result of this study was the development of a new drug currently used for the treatment of osteoporosis and skeletal pathologies associated with cancer.
Some time later, he found that the same protein is involved in the mechanism of starting lactation during pregnancy regulated by sex hormones.
In an even more recent study, Penninger showed that RANKL is a key initiator of the development of hormone-dependent breast cancer. This has shed light on the molecular relationship between hormone replacement therapy, hormonal contraceptive use and breast cancer.
The latest achievement of the group working under Penninger's leadership is the identification of a molecular "switch" that allows the activation of immune cells known as natural killers.
In experiments on mice, the authors demonstrated that the Cbl-b protein (one of the proteins of the long-known Cbl proto-oncogene) blocks the ability of natural killers to recognize and destroy malignant cells.
Inactivation of this protein restores the capacity of natural killers, which begin to perform their functions more effectively and actively suppress tumor metastasis.
According to Penninger, the task of the immune system is to identify danger and respond to it. The key reaction in this case is the development of inflammation. However, as the body ages, the so-called inflammatory status is formed in the body, which negatively affects the state of health and prevents the immune system from effectively recognizing and destroying malignant cells.
Despite the fact that the experiments were conducted on a mouse model, the researchers believe that the results obtained will form the basis for the development of a new generation of drugs that will help the immune system better cope with the complications of the aging process and allow a person to live and die for a long time without long-term suffering caused by chronic age-related diseases.
Article by Magdalena Paolino et al. The E3 ligase Cbl-b and TAM receptors regulate cancer metastasis via natural killer cells is published in the journal Nature.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of Science in public:
Surfing at 85 – the genetics of healthy ageing and cancer.
20.03.2014