Neuropeptide Y will help in the fight against age-related diseases

As a result of joint work, Japanese and Korean researchers have established that a protein known as neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a key link between a low-calorie diet and longevity in mammals. The data obtained can form the basis of new approaches to the fight against age-related diseases.

The results of many studies have shown that a moderate reduction in the caloric content of the diet can increase the life expectancy of many organisms, including mammals. Moreover, such interventions suppress the development of age-related diseases, such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

The authors found that an important link between a low-calorie diet and longevity in mice is the protein neuropeptide Y, which provides physiological adaptation of the body to conditions of energy deficiency.

Experiments on a line of genetically modified mice kept on a diet with a reduced calorie content by 30% throughout their lives have shown that the absence of NPY protein in the body significantly weakens the effect of such a diet on longevity compared to wild-type mice. Moreover, the absence of NPY also reduced the severity of the positive effect of a low-calorie diet on the health of animals, in particular on the frequency of spontaneous tumor formation and oxidative stress reactions.

On the other hand, the absence of NPY did not affect other physiological adaptive processes activated by a low-calorie diet, including suppression of the activity of anabolic signaling molecules (insulin and insulin-like growth factor), regulation of adipokine and corticosterone levels, as well as preferential oxidation of fatty acids.

Moreover, other researchers have demonstrated that overexpression of the NPY gene increases the lifespan of rats that were not subjected to calorie restriction.

The authors suggest that exposure to NPY on certain organs and tissues, such as the liver, heart, skeletal muscles and blood vessels, may be a kind of prevention of the development of age-related diseases, including cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

Currently, they, together with specialists from pharmaceutical and food companies, are working on the creation of drugs that increase the expression of NPY.

Article by Takuya Chiba et al. A key role for neuropeptide Y in lifespan extension and cancer suppression via dietary restriction is published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on ResearchSEA materials:
Life-prolonging protein could inhibit ageing diseases.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru01.06.2015