Enzyme could slow part of the aging process in astronauts -- and the elderly
Monday, April 30, 2012 - 11:30
in Health & Medicine
New research suggests that an enzyme, called 5-lipoxygenase, plays a key role in cell death induced by microgravity environments, and that inhibiting this enzyme will likely help prevent or lessen the severity of immune problems in astronauts caused by spaceflight. Additionally, since space conditions initiate health problems that mimic aging on Earth, this discovery may lead to therapeutics that extend lives by bolstering the immune systems of the elderly.