"Longevity protein" protects against Alzheimer's disease
Researchers at the Gladstone Institutes and the University of Southern California in San Francisco, working under the leadership of Professor Lennart Mucke, have found that increasing the level of the klotho protein that increases life expectancy can prevent the extinction of the ability to learn and remember in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. An important feature is that the observed effect is manifested against the background of accumulation of toxins associated with the disease in the brain tissue, such as beta-amyloid and tau protein.
The level of klotho protein naturally decreases as the body ages, which leads to a deterioration of cognitive abilities. The results of an earlier study by the authors showed that the presence of a genetic variant in the genome that enhances the expression of the klotho protein is associated with better cognitive functions in normal healthy people. Also, experiments on mice have demonstrated that artificially increasing the level of klotho improves the learning ability and memory of animals. However, the role of klotho in the development of age-related neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, remained a mystery.
To study the protective properties of klotho, researchers created a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, all tissues of which were characterized by increased production of this protein. Usually, mice with simulated Alzheimer's disease have cognitive impairment, abnormal brain activity and a short life expectancy. However, increasing the level of klotho facilitated all these manifestations. The protective effects of the protein were sufficient to neutralize the effects of the toxins associated with Alzheimer's disease, despite the fact that their levels did not change.
According to the authors, it is extremely important that cognitive functions can be improved against the background of brain loading with toxins. Increasing the level of klotho protein allows not only to improve the cognitive abilities of healthy mice, but also to ensure the brain's resistance to toxic proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease. That is, instead of affecting the complex mechanisms of the disease, we can protect the brain and improve its functioning.
Perhaps the positive effect of the klotho protein is provided by its influence on a certain type of neurotransmitter receptors in brain tissue – N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, which are a key link in the mechanisms of learning and memorization. Alzheimer's disease is characterized by a malfunction of these receptors, which was not detected in mice with an increased content of klotho in the body. In addition, compared with normal mice, experimental animals had more NMDA subunits, known as GluN2B, which may cause the protective effects provided by klotho.
At the next stage of the study, the authors plan to search for drugs that can increase the level of klotho or have a similar effect on the brain. They believe that this protein is a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of human neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of Gladstone Institutes:
Protein Linked to Longevity and Enhanced Cognition Also Protects Against Alzheimer’s Symptoms.
11.02.2015