Inflammation and aging of the pituitary gland
The pituitary gland is a small gland in the brain that plays an important role in hormonal regulation. A research team from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, found that the pituitary gland ages as a result of chronic inflammation affecting the body as a whole. This natural process is called "inflammation-aging" (inflammaging). Aging of the pituitary gland leads to disruption of hormonal processes and a decrease in the level of hormones in the body.
Anti-aging interleukin
In 2012, Professor Hugo Vankelekom and his colleagues showed that adult pituitary stem cells are at rest, but are quickly activated when tissue damage occurs. The molecular mechanisms underlying this reaction are unknown.
In their new study, using single-cell transcriptomics methods, the authors found interleukin-6 (IL-6) as an activator of pituitary stem cells in local damage in vivo (in mice) and in vitro (on organoids derived from stem cells). They found that the level of IL-6 increases with damage in the young pituitary gland, but not in the aging one. Introducing it to young mice quickly triggered the proliferation of pituitary stem cells, while blocking suppressed such a reaction to damage.
In old mice, IL-6 did not cause an activation reaction of pituitary stem cells, which is associated with an increased inflammatory state in the aging gland.
In other words, stem cells in the pituitary gland do not lose their regenerative potential, even when the body ages. In fact, stem cells are not able to do their job only because over time the pituitary gland becomes an unfavorable "inflammatory environment" for them as a result of chronic inflammation. But as soon as stem cells are removed from this environment, they exhibit the same properties as the stem cells of the young pituitary gland.
A chance of recovery?
The data obtained open up new possibilities for creating ways to reactivate the aging pituitary gland, including not only slowing down the hormonal aging processes, but also restoring damage caused, for example, by a tumor in the pituitary gland.
This can be achieved by activating existing stem cells or transplanting donor cells. There are chances to restore the pituitary gland, but it should be understood that the transition from basic research to real therapy can take many years. This study only provides a potential direction for further research.
The study also offers another interesting possibility: the use of anti-inflammatory drugs to slow down the aging of the pituitary gland or rejuvenate the aging. There is evidence that anti-inflammatory drugs can have a positive effect on some aging organs. Studies of this effect on the pituitary gland have not yet been conducted.
From mice to humans
Vankelecom and his colleagues used mouse pituitary gland in their work, so further research is needed to demonstrate whether their results are applicable to humans, because mice have a much greater ability to regenerate than humans. For example, they can grow damaged teeth, while humans have lost this ability in the course of evolution. Despite this, there are many signs indicating that the pituitary processes in mice and humans are similar, and the expression of genes in the pituitary glands of humans and mice is very similar. Therefore, there is a high probability that the data obtained in mouse models are also applicable to humans.
Article by A.Vennekens et al. Interleukin-6 is an activator of pituitary stem cells upon local damage, a competence quenched in the aging gland published in the journal PNAS.
Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of KU Leuven: Main gland in hormonal system ages due to process that can potentially be slowed down.