Could the enzymes responsible for breaking down and eliminating alcohol from our bodies also help us live longer, healthier lives? Scientists have discovered a molecular mechanism that could provide just that. Did.
In a surprising discovery, researchers at the University of Virginia (UVA) found that the role of alcohol dehydrogenase in the body’s detoxification of glycerol and glyceraldehyde (a toxic byproduct of fat that accumulates over time) may extend lifespan. Not only will it prolong it, but it will age healthier.
“This finding was unexpected,” said Eyleen Jorgelina O’Rourke, associate professor in the Department of Cell Biology at UVA Biology and UVA College of Medicine. “We pursued the highly favored hypothesis that the secret to longevity is the activation of a cellular rejuvenation process called autophagy, leading us to discover an unrecognized mechanism of health and longevity extension. I did.”
Naming the mechanism AMAR (alcohol- or aldehyde-mediated anti-aging response), a Sanskrit word for immortality, scientists adh-1 gene. As a result, the gene produced more alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme and blocked the toxicity caused by glycerol and, indirectly, glyceraldehyde.
of Caenorhabditis elegans, Activating this AMAR mechanism has shown that microscopic worms not only live 50% longer, but are also in better health.
Nematode It is the recommended model for aging research. The 2-3 week lifespan of microscopic soil-dwelling worms has yielded measurable results for scientists, and they share more than 70% of our genetic makeup.Previously, scientists extended lifespan by blocking certain enzymes and saw positive results in a cocktail of drugs., We explored the relationship between aging and the gut and brain and used them to explore why immortality is so elusive.
The team then found that the anti-aging mechanism had similar benefits in another experimental subject, yeast. Both are understood to play a role in living longer and healthier.
“Another exciting moment was when we looked at gene activity in calorie-restricted mice, pigs, rhesus monkeys and humans. adh-1 O’Rourke told New Atlas.
UVA
Scientists believe that glycerol and glyceraldehyde are toxic and unhealthy by-products of fats that accumulate in greater amounts as we age, contributing to the experience of more health problems over time. AMARs may counteract and degrade the accumulation of harmful by-products, prolonging healthy lifespans.Additionally, the activation of adh-1 It has shown the ability to counter weight gain and even promote weight loss.
“In fact, this response is seen across species, from yeast to higher plants to humans,” O’Rourke told New Atlas. “Activating adh-1 It promotes leanness even when the animal is eating as much as it pleases. “
The team is now testing whether genetic activation of the enzyme extends lifespan in mice, then conducting in vitro studies with human cultured cells to adh-1 Reduces or delays cellular markers of senescence.
“We hope to identify partners (academic or private) to jointly search for compounds that activate alcohol and/or aldehyde dehydrogenase,” she told the New Atlas. Activation of the enzyme has been shown to not only extend lifespan, but also to reduce the severity and delay the onset of age-related diseases such as obesity, loss of muscle function and neurodegeneration. We would like to perform these searches for
The study was published in a journal biology today.
Source: University of Virginia
