Proteins linked to longevity also linked to Alzheimer’s
Over the past 20 years, scientists have learned that proteins called sirtuins play a vital role in longevity and stress response in organisms as diverse as humans, yeast and mice. A new paper from MIT biologists now reveals a surprising additional role for sirtuins: They appear to suppress the production of amyloid beta proteins, which form plaques in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.The finding, reported in the July 23 issue of Cell, suggests that targeting sirtuins could offer a promising new approach to treating Alzheimer’s, says Professor Leonard Guarente, leader of the research team.Guarente and his colleagues showed that boosting the activity of a sirtuin called SIRT1 stifled the production of amyloid beta proteins and enhanced brain function in mice engineered to express Alzheimer’s symptoms. This marks the first time sirtuins have been linked to those proteins.Several drug companies are now developing and testing compounds that enhance sirtuin activity. Guarente,...