Age-Related Epigenetic Changes that Suppress Mitochondrial Function

Today's open access research reports on two specific epigenetic changes observed in old individuals that act to reduce mitochondrial function. This joins an existing list of genes for which expression changes are known to impact mitochondrial function with age. A herd of hundreds of mitochondria are found in every cell, working to provide the cell with a supply of energy store molecules used to power its operations. They are the distant descendants of ancient symbiotic bacteria, now fully integrated into the cell. Loss of mitochondrial function is strongly implicated in the progression of aging and age-related diseases, particularly in energy-hungry tissues such as the brain and muscle. Proximately, this loss of function is caused by changes in the expression of regulatory or functional proteins. Epigenetic regulation shifts with age in characteristic ways, for reasons that remain debated. While there is a good list of root cause molecular damage that leads to aging, connect those root causes to specific changes in gene expression relevant to downstream problems is quite challenging. It will be the work of decades yet to fill in the grand map of the biochemistry of the detailed progression of aging. This is why it is important for the research community to identify plausible points of intervention now, wherein it is faster to test and observe the outcome than to wait for full understanding. Epigenetic change may or may not be a plausible point of intervention in...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs