We have found the “switch” of cellular aging. The secret is called protein AP2A1
Regenerative medicine has a very clear objective ahead today: to look for the ‘button’ that can stop aging and allow us live much longeror at least have a better quality of life when we reach certain ages. And here the Japanese have a lot to say with a discovery that gives us more clues about how to preserve our cells much better. A new study. Everything that has to do with living a little longer, the truth is that it causes a little stir in the scientific world, and the article published in January 2025 in the magazine Cellular Signaling it was no wonder. Here it was shown how a team of researchers from Osaka University managed to identify a protein that literally acts as a cellular senescence switch called AP2A1. Our cells. Just as aging can be seen aesthetically, our cells also age through a process of senescence. Upon entering this state, the cells stop dividing, but do not die, since they become larger, more rigid and adhere strongly to their environment. And here a team of scientists has discovered the exact mechanism that causes this. Here the study has pointed to a protein as the culprit: AP2A1. A molecule that acts as a kind of biological transport truck that moves another protein, called β1 integrin along the fibers of the cell. That is why, over time, this process strengthens cell adhesion, causing the cell to become rigid and “old.” The revolution. The important thing here is that if the function of AP2A1 is suppressed in old cells, the biological clock reverses. That is, the cells decrease in size, lose rigidity, drastically reduce the classic markers of aging and proliferate and migrate again. Basically, they rejuvenate themselves. Furthermore, it has also been seen that if this protein is overexpressed in young cells, the result is great aging that accelerates. Your potential. Here the scientific team has seen that AP2A1 is not only emerging as a great marker that measures a person’s aging, but also acts as a direct therapeutic target. That is why some specialized websites such as Fight Aging! already analyze how blocking AP2A1 prevents inflammatory signaling typical of senescent cells. In this way, if we manage to inhibit this protein in the future, we could develop “anti-senescence” agents capable of extending our healthy life expectancy and combating age-related diseases, such as osteoarthritis. A long way. For now, this is something that has been estimated in cellular models in a dish in a laboratory, but it still remains to be seen how it works in the human organism with all the factors that intervene on a cell that is not isolated. What is clear is that the discovery of AP2A1 is a spectacular milestone in cell biology. We have basically found the button that controls the size and youth of cells in the laboratory, but the next big challenge for science will be to find out if we can press that same button, safely, inside the human body. And for that, there are still many years of research left. Images | National Cancer Institute Huy Phan In Xataka | While half the world is worried about aging, one industry is rubbing its hands: the elevator industry
