A genetic change for achieving a long and healthy life?

Date:
November 19, 2021
Source:
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Summary:
Researchers presented new insights for improving the health span
by just regulating the activity of a protein. A research group
has identified a single amino acid change in the tumor suppressor
protein phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) that dramatically
extends healthy periods while maintaining longevity.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Living a long, healthy life is everyone's wish, but it is not an easy
one to achieve. Many aging studies are developing strategies to increase
health spans, the period of life spent with good health, without chronic diseases and disabilities. Researchers at KAIST presented new insights for improving the health span by just regulating the activity of a protein.


==========================================================================
A research group under Professor Seung-Jae V. Lee from the Department
of Biological Sciences identified a single amino acid change in the
tumor suppressor protein phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) that dramatically extends healthy periods while maintaining longevity. This
study highlights the importance of the well-conserved tumor suppressor
protein PTEN in health span regulation, which can be targeted to develop therapies for promoting healthy longevity in humans. The research was
published in Nature Communications on September 24, 2021.

Insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling (IIS) is one
of the evolutionarily conserved aging-modulatory pathways present in life
forms ranging from tiny roundworms to humans. The proper reduction of
IIS leads to longevity in animals but often causes defects in multiple
health parameters including impaired motility, reproduction, and growth.

The research team found that a specific amino acid change in the PTEN
protein improves health status while retaining the longevity conferred
by reduced IIS.

They used the roundworm C. elegans, an excellent model animal that
has been widely used for aging research, mainly because of its
very short normal lifespan of about two to three weeks. The PTEN
protein is a phosphatase that removes phosphate from lipids as well as proteins. Interestingly, the newly identified amino acid change delicately recalibrated the IIS by partially maintaining protein phosphatase activity while reducing lipid phosphatase activity.

As a result, the amino acid change in the PTEN protein maintained the
activity of the longevity-promoting transcription factor Forkhead Box O
(FOXO) protein while restricting the detrimental upregulation of another transcription factor, NRF2, leading to long and healthy life in animals
with reduced IIS.

Professor Lee said, "Our study raises the exciting possibility of simultaneously promoting longevity and health in humans by slightly
tweaking the activity of one protein, PTEN." This work was supported by
the MInistry of Science and ICT through the National Research Foundation
of Korea.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by The_Korea_Advanced_Institute_of_Science_and_Technology_ (KAIST). Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Hae-Eun H. Park, Wooseon Hwang, Seokjin Ham, Eunah Kim, Ozlem
Altintas,
Sangsoon Park, Heehwa G. Son, Yujin Lee, Dongyeop Lee, Won
Do Heo, Seung- Jae V. Lee. A PTEN variant uncouples longevity
from impaired fitness in Caenorhabditis elegans with reduced
insulin/IGF-1 signaling. Nature Communications, 2021; 12 (1) DOI:
10.1038/s41467-021-25920-w ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211119155607.htm

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