Human longevity has long been an important topic of research worldwide. Many researchers have tried to determine why some people live longer than others, with uneven progress. Now, a team of scientists from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, has identified a protein that there is evidence to influence longevity.
The researchers made a new discovery PHOTO: Archive
The researchers started by analyzing a group of proteins controlled by the transcription factor FOXO, known as a hub for regulating longevity in the body.
In this group, the researchers identified a protein, called OSER1, about which they obtained evidence that it has an important influence on longevity, writes news.ro.
“We have identified this protein that can extend longevity. It is a new longevity-increasing factor, being a protein that exists in many animals, such as fruit flies, nematodes, silkworms, but also in humans”said Prof. Lene Juel Rasmussen, co-author of the study, quoted by sciencedaily.com.
The researchers analyzed data on the presence of the protein in different animals and compared the data with that of a group of people, to check if the effects were similar.
“If the gene only exists in animal models, it may be difficult to translate to human health, which is why we have looked at potential longevity-associated proteins that exist in many organisms, including humans, from the beginning. Because, ultimately, we are interested in identifying human longevity genes for possible interventions and drug development”, explained researcher Zhiquan Li, lead author of the study.
Having demonstrated OSER1’s effect on longevity, the researchers are now analyzing how the protein works at the cellular level in preclinical models.
“This is the first study to demonstrate that OSER1 is a significant regulator of aging and longevity. In the future, we hope to provide clues about the specific age-related diseases and aging processes that OSER1 influences,” Zhiquan Li also said.
The next step is to identify possible therapeutic targets in relation to the OSER1 protein, for conditions associated with aging, such as metabolic, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.
