Aging Proteins
The aging process leads to disruption of the normal functioning of organs and metabolic processes, triggering the development of age-related diseases. The rate of aging and the time of death are determined by many complex interrelated factors, including genetic characteristics, lifestyle, environmental influences and random factors. The role of proteins in the aging process has been studied in a new study.
Genetic factors
Some people naturally have higher or lower levels of certain proteins due to features in the nucleotide sequences in DNA that they inherit from their parents. These protein levels, in turn, can affect human health.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have combined the results of six major genetic studies of human aging, each of which contains the genetic information of hundreds of thousands of people. Of the 857 proteins studied, they identified two that had a significant negative impact on various indicators of aging.
People with genetically determined high levels of these proteins were more likely to suffer from fractures, had poorer health according to the results of questionnaires and showed a shorter life expectancy than the rest of the study participants.
The role of proteins
One of these two proteins is apolipoprotein(a) (LPA), it is produced in the liver and, as the authors believe, plays a role in blood clotting. A high level of LPA can increase the risk of atherosclerosis with outcomes in the form of a heart attack or stroke. Another protein is vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, VCAM1), it is mainly found on the surface of endotheliocytes (cells lining the inner wall of blood vessels). VCAM1 regulates vasodilation and vasoconstriction, and is also involved in blood clotting and immune response. VCAM1 levels rise in response to signals indicating the presence of infection, it allows immune cells to overcome the endothelial layer.
Healthy aging
The researchers suggested that the treatment of diseases by reducing the levels of LPA and VCAM1 can further improve the quality and duration of life.
So, in one clinical study, a drug is being tested to reduce the level of LPA as a way to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Currently, there are no clinical studies targeting VCAM1, but experiments in mice have shown that antibodies that reduce the level of this protein improve cognitive abilities in old age.
Conclusions
Reducing the levels of two identified aging proteins, LPA and VCAM1, in human blood may improve the quality and life expectancy, allowing the average person to live as long and disease-free as people who were lucky enough to be born with a genetically determined deficiency of LPA and VCAM1.
Article by R.H.J.Paul et al. Mendelian randomization of genetically independent aging phenotypes identifies LPA and VCAM1 as biological targets for human aging is published in the journal Nature Aging.
Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru according to the materials of the University of Edinburgh: Proteins could be the key to a long and healthy life.