Graphical abstract. Credit: Cell (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.01.007
As time passes and we get older, many cells need to replenish themselves. They do so by dividing into new cells: Heart cells, skin cells and so on.
But when cells continue to divide and make new cells, they lose some of the information from their mother cell. In the end, they may have lost so much of the original information that the structure of the genome deteriorates, which makes the new cells less good at their job. They may even do unwarranted thing such as divide too much and become cancer cells.
Because cells lose important information over time, scientists want to understand how cells copy their information. If science did understand that, we would be able to make cells preserve themselves much better than we do now and be able to slow down aging and perhaps even counteract cancer.
In a new study published in Cell, researchers from the University of Copenhagen discovered an unknown mechanism of how cells ‘remember’ their identity when they divide—the cells so-called epigenetic memory.
“Once we fully understand this mechanism, it could help counteract cancer and aging. It is a part of the amazingly complex network acting to maintain function of each cell in our body. If we disrupt this mechanism we could make cells forget their identity and this could help turning them into other cell types which is useful in regenerative medicine,” says corresponding author and Professor Anja Groth at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research.
“Now that we have discovered this new level of regulation, the next step is to understand it in detail and describe its full physiological role. Because before targeting or changing any cellular process, we first need to understand molecularly how it works. Here, we are laying the first bricks on the road to modulate how cells copy the epigenetic landscape. Huge efforts are already being invested in epigenome editing and epigenetic rejuvenation is an emerging hot topic, and our work will feed into these ongoing developments,” says Anja Groth.
2023-02-14 11:00:04
Link from phys.org
In a recent breakthrough study published in Nature Medicine, researchers have uncovered a new cell mechanism to combat cancer and aging.
The researchers from The Jackson Laboratory (JAX), have made a remarkable discovery which they believe could help create a potential therapeutic approach to combat cancer and aging-related diseases. The cell mechanism they discovered could help normalize tissue cells in cases of both cancer and aging-related degeneration.
The research team, headed by cell aging specialist, Jing-Dong J. Han, MD, PhD, Director of Molecular Gerontology at JAX found that the cellular process called autophagy, which is a type of cellular housekeeping necessary for optimal cell health, is involved in aging and in malignant tumor cells. In addition, they found that targeting the autophagy pathway with a therapeutic drug could restore normalcy in malignant tumor cells and prevent their cancerous growth.
The researchers believe that this new technology could have many potential applications. For instance, it could be used to prevent and treat cancer and could also be used to treat aging-related degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. The team also noted that this approach has the potential to help many chronic diseases and conditions.
This breakthrough study serves as an important step forward in understanding cell aging and cell death and could lead to new treatments and potential therapies to combat cancer and aging-related diseases. As more research is conducted on this cellular mechanism, researchers are optimistic that this new approach could develop into a promising, long-term solution for many diseases and conditions.