McMaster University researchers have discovered a previously unknown cell-protecting function of a protein, which could open new avenues for treating age-related diseases and lead to healthier aging overall. The team has found that a class of protective proteins known as MANF plays a role in the process that keep cells efficient and working well. The findings appear in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .
Our cells make proteins and discard them after they perform their jobs. This efficient, continuous maintenance process is known as cellular homeostasis. However, as we age, our cells' ability to keep up declines.
Cells can create proteins incorrectly, and the cleanup process can become faulty or overwhelmed. As a result, proteins can clump together, leading to a harmful buildup that has been linked to such diseases as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. "If the cells are experiencing stress because this protein aggregation has started, the endoplasmic reticulum, which is where proteins are made and then released, gets the signal to stop making these proteins," explains biology professor Bhagwati Gupta, who supervised the research.
If it can't correct the problem, the cell will die, which ultimately leads to degeneration of the neurons and then neurodegenerative diseases that we see." Bhagwati Gupta, Biology Professor, McMaster University Previous studies, including one from McMaster, had shown that MANF protects against increased cellular stress. The team s.