The secret to a long life? For worms, a cellular recycling protein is key

(Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute) Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys have shown that worms live longer lives if they produce excess levels of a protein, p62, which recognizes toxic cell proteins that are tagged for destruction. The discovery, published in Nature Communications, could help uncover treatments for age-related conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease, which are often caused by accumulation of misfolded proteins.
Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news