Klotho protein not only prolongs life, but also protects against cancer
"Hormone of youth" has anti-cancer properties
Ilya Shcheglov, STRF.ru
Discovered in 1997 by Professor Makoto Kuro-o, the Klotho protein was named after one of the three Greek goddesses of fate, Kloto, who spins the thread of life and determines its term. At first Makoto Kuro-o decided that this protein was a hormone, but further studies showed that it only regulates intracellular chemical signals, but the name "hormone of youth" stuck to it.
It was found that the level of Klotho in the body of mice decreases significantly with age. Then scientists proved its role in the regulation of aging mechanisms. Genetically modified mice whose Klotho levels were elevated throughout their lives not only lived a third longer than their wild counterparts, but also retained the ability to produce offspring much longer (Science, September 16, 2005). Scientists note that Klotho is the rarest case in mammalian biology when a single gene has such a significant effect on life expectancy and related physiological processes (usually such complex processes are regulated by a multitude of genes, and the role of each of them is relatively small).
And recently, the Journal of Biological Chemistry published an article by scientists from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center demonstrating the new positive properties of this amazing protein in experiments on mice (Shigehiro Doi et al., Klotho Inhibits Transforming Growth Factor-β1 (TGF-β1) Signaling and Suppresses Renal Fibrosis and Cancer Metastasis in Mice). It turns out that Klotho can protect the kidneys from fibrosis – the compaction of connective tissue with the formation of scarring, which usually occurs as a result of chronic inflammatory kidney diseases, and prevents the formation of cancer metastases.
Kidney fibrosis is a serious medical problem, since about a tenth of the population suffers from chronic kidney diseases, and extensive fibrosis is a risk factor for tumor formation. This pathological process also develops in acute renal dysfunction caused by injuries, surgeries, bleeding, dehydration and drug overdose.
"Within a few days, the kidney may stop working," the head of the study Makoto Kuro–o quotes a press release from the University of Texas (Anti-aging hormone Klotho inhibits renal fibrosis, cancer growth). In experiments on mice, Klotho effectively prevented fibrous changes. "We have shown that Klotho injection can be effective even at the initial stage of acute kidney injury and is able to prevent its development into a chronic disease. This gives real hope to patients with kidney diseases," the scientist explains.
The authors are studying the so-called mesenchymal cells. They cannot be attributed to a specific type of tissue, but they are able to "ripen", and connective tissue, blood vessels (in particular, endothelium), muscle tissue, visceral skeleton, pigment cells and the lower layer of the connective tissue part of the skin are formed from them. These cells are called multipotent – "capable of much." In the body, they serve as a "reserve" for replenishing missing tissue cells or replacing dead ones. The paradox is that in some pathological conditions, it is mesenchymal cells that begin to participate in the formation of fibrous tissue and metastasis of tumors.
Scientists have established the mechanism of metastasis formation: when several types of receptors (TGF-β1, Wnt and IGF-1) are activated, cancer epithelial cells degenerate into mesenchymal cells and start the metastasis process. In experiments on mice, researchers from the laboratory of Makoto Kuro-o showed that Klotho blocks the activation of these receptors and thereby stops the process of metastasis formation at the very initial stage.
The authors believe that their work once again confirms the insufficient knowledge of Klotho and proves its effectiveness both in blocking the process of tumor formation itself (preventing fibrosis) and in suppressing its development (preventing the formation of metastases).
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru18.04.2011