The new hope against Alzheimer’s is a simple protein. We have discovered it thanks to a tiny worm
Many of the processes that happen in our body depend on proteins. All if we take into account the processes that do it indirectly. Sometimes proteins fail. Then, the function of cleaning these “defective” proteins falls, yes, on other proteins. MANF. A new study He has revealed The importance of MANF protein (Mesencephalic Astrocyte-Derned Neurotrophic Factor) For our aging or, to be more precise, when avoiding some of the problems that arise at the cellular level and that we usually associate with age. Doing cleaning. In principle, that a cell badly codifies a protein does not have to generate major problems in our body. Cell homeostasis, the process that discards proteins after use, is a cellular “maintenance” process that deals with this type of problem. However, with age our cells lose efficacy when keeping the house in order. “Defective” proteins can end up accumulating and generating protein clots. This is What we believe occurs with diseases such as Parkinson or Alzheimer’s. When the cell detects these problems, it can stop synthesizing new proteins until the problem is solved. If it does not, the cell dies. Cleaning work. The new study has observed that MANF protein It plays an important role in this cleaning process inside the cell. His work consists in breaking protein clusters to facilitate the expulsion of these and thus maintaining our healthy cells. The team observed that this protein also served to “activate” the intracellular cleaning system. C. Elegans. In his work, the team turned to a unique worm, the Caenorhabditis Elegansa usual microscopic size nematode in laboratories around the world. The team altered the genetics of these worms to increase the presence of the MANF protein in their cells. The worms C. Elegans They are transparent, which facilitates the work of researchers when visualizing the changes that induce their genes. The team managed to see the effects of MANF on cells and tissues. Protein, They pointwas present in the lysosomas (some cell organelles linked to longevity and protein aggregation). In this way they could appreciate how the protein broke cell clusters and activated the cleaning system. The details of the experiment were published In an article In the magazine Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Beyond worms. What is true for the biology of a small worm does not have to be in that of humans, but the team points out that this would be a universal process, at least in animal cells since Manf is a common protein to all species of this kingdom. The fight against Alzheimer’s. The big issue is now how to transform this new knowledge into therapies to fight some of the diseases that we associate with aging, such as Alzheimer’s, or against aging itself. Alzheimer is an important since the dominant hypothesis to explain this disease part precisely of the appearance of intracellular clusters such as those that fight the Manf protein. As explained by those responsible for the new study, transforming this protein into a treatment will require better understanding its role in our body and other possible interactions between it and cellular functions beyond cell homeostasis. In Xataka | We have been listening to the benefits of Omega-3 for years. Now we know that it also rejuvenates us Image | McMaster University
