The international team of scientists found that the brain with age loses the ability to produce important proteins effectively, and this is not due to the destruction of genes, but with the so-called "stuck" ribosoms. The study was carried out on short-term fish, notobranxius (African turquoise Cillifish) used as a man aging model. The work was published in Science magazine.
It is usually assumed that if the level of MRNA is stable, the appropriate protein must be produced in the same volume. However, the experience showed "mismatch". MRNA remained at the same level, and the amount of protein decreased. This was especially true for proteins rich in amino acids.
The reason is that ribosomes were often "stuck" when translating to such codes. This led not only to the fall of synthesis, but also the accumulation of misguided proteins and the symptoms of inflammatory reaction, Alzheimer and Parkinson's disease.
The total amount of fully functional ribosomes in the fish brain decreased. Unexpectedly, this helped some processes. For example, the synthesis of mitochondrial protein improved, as such MRNAs worked less effectively in case of excess ribosomes.
Attempting to block the protein use system, the loss of the necessary proteins is not only related to their destruction. The main problem is the translation failure of MRNA proteins.
The authors believe that the "traffic jam" of ribosomes may be a universal mechanism of aging, which combines several basic consequences, genominal instability, biosynthesis decreases and inflammation. If they can find ways to facilitate the work of ribosomes or increase the efficiency of translation, this can become a new direction of the treatment of age brain diseases.
The next step of scientists is to study the human brain samples, checking whether it is possible to restore control over translation to slow down the age changes.
Translation of: Euromedia24.com
