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Posted on Jun 30, 2008, 8 p.m.
By Jeanelle Topping
Scientists in Spain and Italy have identified a new set of proteins that may help anti-aging physicians to explain the underlying biochemical mechanisms of aging.
Scientists in Spain and Italy have identified a new set of proteins that may help anti-aging physicians to explain the underlying biochemical mechanisms of aging.
Using laboratory rats, a team of researchers led by Dr Adamo Valle, found a group of cellular pathways previously unrecognised that could explain why females tend to live longer than males and how a calorie-restricted diet influences human longevity.
The findings - due to be published in the July 3rd issue of ACS' monthly Journal of Proteome Research - revealed that both female rats and those fed on calorie-restricted diets produced variant levels of 27 proteins compared to male rates and those following a normal diet.
Previous studies have suggested that hormones, stress, and cardiovascular health can all influence a person's longevity.
In related news, research conducted on fruit flies suggests that increasing the output of the protein neprilysin, can reduce plaque formation in the brain associated with Alzheimer's disease.
