In the largest genetic study of ageing to date, two key proteins have been identified that play a significant role in the ageing process. Developing drugs that target these proteins could be one way of slowing down ageing.
Genetics, lifestyle, environment and chance influence ageing. The study sheds light on the part proteins play in this process. Some people have higher or lower levels of certain proteins according to their individual DNA, which in turn affect a person’s health.
In a study published in Nature Aging, researchers from the University of Edinburgh combined the results of six large genetic studies into human ageing – each containing genetic information on hundreds of thousands of people.
Among 857 proteins studied, researchers identified two that had significant negative effects across various ageing measures.
People who inherited DNA that causes raised levels of these proteins were frailer, had poorer self-rated health and were less likely to live an exceptionally long life than those who did not.
The first protein, apolipoprotein(a) (LPA), is made in the liver and thought to play a role in clotting. High levels of LPA can increase the risk of atherosclerosis – a condition in which arteries become clogged with fatty substances. Heart disease and stroke is a possible outcome.
The second protein, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM1), is primarily found on the surfaces of endothelial cells lining blood vessels. The protein controls the vessels’ expansion and retraction – and have a function in blood clotting and the immune response.
Levels of VCAM1 increase in response to signals indicating an infection, and the protein then allows immune cells to cross the endothelial layer.
The researchers say that drugs used to treat diseases by reducing levels of LPA and VCAM1 could have the added benefit of improving quality and length of life.
One such example is a clinical trial that is testing a drug to lower LPA as a way of reducing the risk of heart disease. No clinical trials with VCAM1 are underway, but studies in mice have shown how antibodies lowering this protein’s level improved cognition during old age.
The identification of these two key proteins could help extend the healthy years of life. Drugs that reduce these protein levels in the blood could allow the average person to live as healthy and as long as individuals who have won the genetic lottery and are born with genetically low LPA and VCAM1 levels.
Source: University of Edinburgh
