KAIST 생명과학과동창회
  • News & Events
  • News

News

One More Key to Human Longevity Found After Worm Research

Korean scientists zero in on an enzyme called VRK-1 in roundworm research that can extend their lifespan


It is known that the mitochondria is called the powerhouse of the cell, without which there will be no energy production in the cell, thereby the body too! Along with this mitochondria has its role in other important functions, one crucial role being in aging.

Research has shown that age-related diseases are linked to mitochondrial functioning. Further, it is known that "mild inhibition of mitochondrial respiration" promotes longevity in many species, which means to mildly slow down mitochondria's energy-making process. Thus, the life-span extension compensates for the reduced mitochondrial respiration.

VRK-1 is a nuclear protein that increases worm life span
VRK-1 is a nuclear protein that increases worm life span From the Research Paper

An enzyme called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) that promotes mitochondrial health is also known as anti-aging protein. The same enzyme plays a crucial role in life-span extension by reducing mitochondrial respiration.

Worm Research

Research on roundworms has shown that an enzyme called VRK-1 can extend their lifespan. VRK-1 does this by increasing the level of AMPK resulting in an increase in its activity, promoting longevity through phosphorylation.

This is an important finding in the research of extending human lifespan too.

Korean scientists published a paper this Wednesday in Science Advances, that showed how the lifespan of worms was extended by varying VRK-1 levels.

The Experiment

Roundworms normally have a lifespan of about two to three weeks. But the genetically engineered worms in the experiment, having elevated levels of VRK-1 lived about 23.7 days on average - they lived longer. When they inhibited the function of VRK-1 in other worms, they found that their lives were shortened.

Lab-controlled worms that lived 20.3 days on average, lived only 12.7 days as VRK-1 was inhibited. That is, the worms died sooner.

A senior author of the paper, Seung-Jae Lee, professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology told Inverse that the key to activating longevity was in the anti-aging protein, AMPK, while the key to activating AMPK is VRK-1. The VRK-1 enzyme is found in worms and has its cousin in human cells, that's very similar to it.

Humans?

Ageing
Representational Image Pxfuel

"Therefore, it is possible that this mechanism can be applied to promoting human longevity in the future," he added.

Similar patterns were shown in cultured human cells in the experiment, Lee said, showing that the process holds even in complex organisms.

Replicating the study in animals, like mice will show it's likeliness in humans. However, scientists still don't know how exactly the process occurs.


https://www.ibtimes.sg/one-more-key-human-longevity-found-after-worm-research-47830


List of Articles
번호 제목 글쓴이 날짜 조회 수
129 이균민 교수, 교무처장 인사 발령 과사무실 2010.07.15 12510
128 이상기 박사 한국생명공학연구원장 취임 과사무실 2005.07.12 14411
127 이상열 교수(박사 85) KAIST 올해의 동문 선정 과사무실 2005.01.04 16065
126 이승재 교수, 올리브유의 노화 방지 및 장수 효과 입증 file 생명과학과 2019.08.22 6483
125 이승재 교수, 한성과학상 수상 file 생명과학과 2019.07.01 7106
» 이승재 교수님_One More Key to Human Longevity Found After Worm Research 생명과학과 2020.07.03 11948
123 이승희 교수, 송유향, 김재현 박사과정 학생 Neuron 게재 file 생명과학과 2017.02.13 18736
122 이승희 교수님_KAIST, 뇌 인지기능 높이는 물질 발견… 치매 치료 효과 기대 file 생명과학과 2020.04.26 5796
121 이승희 교수님_시각 정보 인식해 행동 결정하는 대뇌 신경회로 과정 밝혀 생명과학과 2021.08.30 1439
120 이주용 박사, 김세윤 교수, PNAS지에 논문 게재 / PhD Joo-Yong Lee and Prof, Seyun Kim published a paper in PNAS 생명과학과 2016.07.04 17542
119 이준식 교수 IAFOST Fellow 선출 과사무실 2003.09.08 14336
118 이중재 박사와 김학성 교수 연구팀, Theranostics에 표지 논문 발표 file 생명과학과 2017.08.18 13703
117 인선아 박사과정 학생. 제 18차 KHUPO 프로테오믹스 국제학술대회 수상 file 생명과학과 2018.04.13 13732
116 임대식 교수 국가지정연구실사업 신규과제 선정 과사무실 2005.03.30 12277
115 임대식 교수 논문 Nature Cell Biology 게재 1 과사무실 2004.01.26 14415
114 임대식 교수 외 3명 개교 34주년 기념 우수교원 포상 과사무실 2005.02.15 11767
113 임대식 교수, 2016년도 한국분자세포생물학회 정기학술대회 학술상 생명과학상 소개 강연 생명과학과 2016.10.10 14534
112 임대식 교수, EMBO Journal 에 논문 게재 (2012.3.7) 과사무실 2012.04.17 13559
111 임대식 교수, KAIST 지정 석좌교수 임용 과사무실 2014.02.25 13001
110 임대식 교수, PNAS 게재 (2013.4) 과사무실 2013.05.02 13564
Board Pagination Prev 1 ... 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 ... 23 Next
/ 23