Reducing Levels of Protein Manufacture Slows Measures of Aging in Nematodes

This study shows that minocycline prevents this build-up even in older animals with age-impaired stress-response pathways. The number of proteins in a cell is balanced by the rate of protein manufacture and disposal, called proteostasis. As we age, proteostasis becomes impaired. "It would be great if there were a way to enhance proteostasis and extend lifespan and health, by treating older people at the first sign of neurodegenerative symptoms or disease markers such as protein build-up. In this study, we investigated whether the antibiotic minocycline can reduce protein aggregation and extend lifespan in animals that already have impaired proteostasis." The team first tested 21 different molecules known to extend lifespan in young and old Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) worms. They found that all of these molecules prolonged the lives of young worms; however, the only drug that worked on the older worms was the minocycline. To find out why, the researchers treated young and old worms with either water or minocycline and then measured two proteins called α-synuclein and amyloid-β, which are known to build up in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, respectively. Regardless of the worms' age, those treated with minocycline had reduced aggregation of both proteins as they grew older without even without the activation of stress responses. The team next turned their attention to the mechanism behind this discovery. First, they looked at whether minocycline swi...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs