A new finding by researchers from Northwestern University in Evanston has discovered that mild stress can delay aging with the help of several proteins. The anti-aging effect is triggered by a key regulator of a mechanism preventing protein damage caused by stress.
Exposure to stress causing agents triggers a damage limiting mechanism, which is also known as heat shock response, to prevent cell death via restoring the conformation of deformed proteins. In this way, life span of the cell is extended. The researchers have found that the heat shock response in human cell lines is regulated by Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), an aging-related protein that plays many roles in longevity by several different stress-busting pathways.
In fact, the key component of the heat shock response is a protein known as heat shock factor 1. When a cell is under stress, heat shock factor 1 binds to DNA and initiates production of the protein repair molecules. Nevertheless, excessive protein repair molecules triggers heat shock response to terminate the protein production through an acetyl group, which removes heat shock factor 1 from the DNA strand through binding to it.
On top of that, the researchers have also discovered that acetyl group can be removed by SIRT 1 for continuous production of protein repair molecules. Termination of protein repair molecules is determined by the abundance of these proteins regardless of any unrepaired damage.
A study using calorie-restricted diet as a stress factor tested on mice and dogs has uncovered a possible relationship between stress and life span of the cells tested based on the result of an increase in the levels of SIRT1.
In older cells, the sensitivity of heat shock response declines in response to stress due to a decrease in the amount of SIRT1. With this, the researchers theorize the possibility for SIRT1 to be used as activator of the heat shock response on demand especially in brain cells, as a treatment for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease. Yet, manipulation of SIRT1 in keeping cells in a defensive state also prolongs life span of cancer cells equally.
There is a need for extension studies to be done to validate the co-operation between the heat shock factor 1 and SIRT1 in protecting the cells of whole organisms, not merely the cell lines tested.
Original Article:
Anti-aging: A little stress may keep cells youthful
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/41044/title/Anti-aging__A_little_stress_may_keep_cells_youthful
Student ID: 41827394
