Protein could be a new key in combating aging – 06/22/2023 – Science

Researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have identified a key protein capable of providing valuable information for reversing aging.

The discovery, recently published in the cell biology journal Development Cell, could pave the way for the future development of therapeutic interventions against age-related diseases, in addition to various mitochondrial pathologies.

The group led by Tom Cheung, associate professor of life sciences at HKUST, identified the role of the CPEB4 protein, which enables messenger RNA binding activity, in helping to preserve metabolism by regulating the biosynthesis of mitochondrial proteins.

Over time, animal cells undergo a process of senescence, in which they stop proliferating, but do not die. These “non-functional cells” accumulate in the body, causing deterioration and contributing to the changes associated with aging.

More vitality and cellular resistance

The Hong Kong scientists found that levels of CPEB4 decreased in the aged tissues of mice, particularly in skeletal muscle. Similarly, they found signs of “aging” after injuries, indicated by a higher presence of the marker beta-galactosidase associated with senescence (SA-β-gal), compared to healthy adult muscles.

In the laboratory, reintroduction of CPEB4 into aged muscle stem cells (MuSC) promoted increased production of mitochondrial proteins and energy, as well as remarkable resistance to cellular senescence. This, in turn, resulted in improved muscle repair. Expression of CPEB4 in several human cell lines also provided greater protection against cell aging.

For Professor Cheung, “this work lays the groundwork for continuing to study the feasibility of developing CPEB4 as a possible therapeutic target for various mitochondrial diseases”, including Leigh’s syndrome, a hereditary degenerative neurological condition.