Scientists discover key protein for delaying aging

The lifespan and healthy aging of mice may be determined by a protein found in certain cells of the immune system, according to a paper published in the journal Cell Reports . When this protein, called CD300f immunoreceptor, is lacking, animal models have a shorter life expectancy and suffer from associated pathologies. cognitive decline and premature aging , especially females.

“Our study shows that alterations in cells of the immune system, for example in macrophages and microglia, can determine the degree of healthy aging in mice,” he emphasizes. Hugo Peluffo, responsible for the work and member of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and Institute of Neurosciences of the University of Barcelona (UBneuro).

Understand how the CD300f immunoreceptor, as well as the myeloid cells of the immune system, can alone determine the rate of appearance of pathologies linked to aging “this will help to better understand this process and will contribute to the design of strategies to regulate its action, for example by using the CD300f immunoreceptor as a target in Uptake”, explains the expert, also a member of the Pasteur Institute of Montevideo and University of the Republic (Udelar), Uruguay.

“In addition, our group has already shown that certain variants of the CD300f immunoreceptor could be useful as biomarkers in patients,” he adds. In the article, whose first author is the expert Frances Evans (Institut Pasteur and Udelar) You Teams from the Uruguayan Center for Molecular Imaging (CUDIM), among other institutions, also participated.

The CD300f receptor is a protein expressed by cells of the immune system that modulates inflammation and cellular metabolism. This study reveals the first evidence of its role in processes related to aging and senescence.

“In particular, we discovered that in mice lacking the CD300f immunoreceptor, certain pathologies linked to aging appeared prematurely. As the cognitive deficits, motor incoordination, tumors, and even effects on different organs such as the brain, liver or lungs.

Furthermorea larger effect was also evident in women, who were the most affected,” explains Hugo Peluffo.

The study is based on detailed monitoring of several cohorts of animals over thirty months, a methodological innovation that allowed us to reflect the real aging process of these animals without using accelerated aging models , which do not accurately represent a process that necessarily involves the gradual accumulation of changes with age.

As the researcher states, “ “The objective is to continue to study the consequences of CD300f immunoreceptor dysfunction on brain aging, in particular on microglia. »

With this in mind, a project led by Professor Hugo Peluffo to study the relationship between aging and Alzheimer’s disease has just won one of the prizes Alzheimer’s disease research grants from the Pasqual Maragall Foundation.

Specifically, it will explore how immune cells in the nervous system, called microglia, influence the aging process and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. “ In this project funded by the Pasqual Maragall Foundation we will study the possible role of this immunoreceptor in Alzheimer’s disease », concludes the researcher.