Aging can be slowed down with "remote access"
In experiments on fruit flies, researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles, working under the guidance of Dr. David Walker, demonstrated that the "remote" activation of the AMPK gene in key organ systems slows down the aging of the entire organism.
The protein product of the AMPK gene – the enzyme AMP-dependent kinase – is the main energy sensor in cells, which is activated when their energy level decreases. Its ability to increase life expectancy has previously been demonstrated in various animal models. However, the tissue-specific mechanisms of AMPK action have not been studied well enough to date.
The authors demonstrated that the activation of AMPK in drosophila brain cells stimulated the expression of protein kinases of the Atg family (autophagy-specific protein kinases), proteins that induce autophagy – a mechanism that ensures the processing and reuse of cellular debris – not only in the brain, but also in the intestines of insects. This was accompanied by an increase in the lifespan of flies by about 30% (from 6 to 8 weeks), while they maintained good health until later in life. Moreover, a similar effect was achieved when AMPK was activated in the cells of the intestinal epithelium of insects.
Based on the data obtained, the researchers concluded that activation of the AMPK/Atg signaling pathway in key organ systems has a systemic effect on the body, manifested by stimulation of autophagy and slowing down the aging process.
Human cells also have two orthologous proteins Atg, which perform similar functions, and AMPK, the same as in drosophila, but usually this enzyme is not characterized by high levels of activity. The authors believe that studying this enzyme can bring much more benefits in the fight against aging than studying age-related diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus separately.
Article by Matthew Ulgherait et al. AMPK Modules Tissue and Organizational Aging in a Non-Cell-Autonomous Manner is published in the journal Cell Reports.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of the University of California - Los Angeles:
UCLA biologists delay the aging process by ‘remote control’.
09.09.2014