The quest for a longer life with better health and well-being is an exciting journey full of surprises. In a most interesting discovery in this field, researchers have discovered that it is possible to extend life expectancy through the modification of a most common gene.
A key protein linked to aging identified
Aging is a natural and inevitable process for humans and many other living beings. However, this does not prevent these same humans from tirelessly searching for methods that could help slow down aging and experience it in the best possible conditions. Indeed, numerous studies are still being carried out to find processes that could allow us to live longer, and above all in better health. Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles may be on the right track in this area.
According to the results of their study published in the journal Nature Communicationsthese scientists have identified a cellular structural protein responsible for aging. Better yet, they discovered that modifying the genes that produce this protein can extend healthy life expectancy by 25 to 30%. More specifically, the protein in question is filamentous actin (F-actin). The accumulation of this protein in the brain inhibits a key process that removes unnecessary or dysfunctional components from cells, including DNA, lipids, proteins and organelles.
This results in an accumulation of waste which causes a decrease in neuronal function and contributes to cognitive decline. To observe this phenomenon, researchers conducted experiments on fruit flies, examining F-actin in their brains. They specifically chose these insects for their study because fruit flies have a very short lifespan (around two months), which allows scientists to have an easily observable model of the aging process.
Towards the creation of a method to extend life expectancy?
For their study, the researchers notably compared the brains of young, middle-aged and old-aged flies. This allowed them to observe a significant increase in total F-actin levels in the brain as the flies aged. They also found that flies fed a restricted, low-protein diet lived longer and had less accumulation of F-actin in their brains compared to flies fed a high-protein diet.
Subsequently, the scientists carried out further tests to find out whether the production of this protein can have an effect on the aging of fruit flies. To do this, they modified a few specific genes in the neurons of aging fruit flies to prevent the buildup of actin in the brain. This effectively maintained cellular recycling and extended the healthy lifespan of fruit flies by approximately 25% to 30%. Better yet, the flies were found to show signs of improved brain function and markers of improved health in other organs.
Furthermore, you can increase your life expectancy by 10 years simply by changing your diet.
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