Scientists have discovered that proteins from tardigrades, a marine animal, could delay the aging of human cells.
- Researchers have discovered that tardigrade proteins, CAHS proteins, slow the aging of these animals’ cells by forming a protective gel inside them.
- Applied to human cells, these CAHS proteins have the same effect as in tardigrades: they slow down cellular aging.
- Ultimately, these proteins could make it possible to develop a new anti-aging elixir!
They measure between 0.1 to 1.2 millimeters but have immense resistance capacities: the tardigrades. These are eight-legged marine animals that can survive extreme conditions such as lack of oxygen and water, but also scorching or freezing temperatures! To cope with this, tardigrades go into biostasis, that is to say, into hibernation.
Transferring proteins from animals to humans
What if these impressive abilities were transferable to humans? Why not yes, answer a team of researchers from the University of Wyoming, in the USA. Their work was published in the journal Protein Science.
The first step was to understand where these abilities came from in tardigrades. These are the CAHS proteins, which marine animals develop when they enter biostasis, which slow down the aging of their cells by forming a protective gel inside them.
Proteins that slow aging in humans
So, to understand the impact of these CAHS proteins on human cells, scientists carried out laboratory tests.
“When we introduce these proteins into human cells, they gel and slow metabolism, just like in tardigradesexplains Silvia Sanchez-Martinez, author of the study, in a communicated. Human cells containing these proteins [ajoutées en laboratoire] become more resistant to stress”, which protects them.
“When stress is relieved, tardigrade gels dissolve and human cells resume normal metabolism“, explains Thomas Boothby, another author of the study. Which indicates that these proteins could help fight against aging, by regenerating cells and delaying it.
Building on these results, scientists hope to eventually be able to use these CAHS proteins to reduce the aging of human cells, particularly those of the skin, by developing an anti-aging elixir!
