Greek Scientists Reveal Mechanism to Control Aging and Fertility

Greek scientists have discovered a new molecular mechanism that works in cells to control aging and reproductive fertility.

The results by scientists from the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB) at the Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (FORTH) were published on Tuesday in the international scientific journal Nature Aging.

They shed light for the first time on a fundamental mechanism that preserves the integrity and function of the nucleus and regulates physical and reproductive aging.

“One of the fascinating puzzles of modern biomedical research is understanding the molecular basis of two diametrically opposed, fundamental phenomena in biology: the mortality of the body and the immortality of the so-called stem cell line – i.e. the cells that ensure reproduction,” said Nektarios Tavernarakis, a professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Crete and president of FORTH.

Greek scientists unravel mechanism against aging

An abstract of the research published in Nature Aging notes that marked alterations in nuclear ultrastructure are a universal hallmark of aging, progeroid syndromes and other age-related pathologies.

The researchers show that autophagy of nuclear proteins is an important determinant of fertility and aging. Impairment of nucleophagy diminishes stress resistance, germline immortality and longevity.

They found that the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans nuclear envelope anchor protein, nuclear anchorage protein 1 (ANC-1) and its mammalian ortholog nesprin-2 are cleared out by autophagy and restrict nucleolar size, a biomarker of aging.

They further uncovered a germline immortality assurance mechanism, which involves nucleolar degradation at the most proximal oocyte by ANC-1 and key autophagic components.

Perturbation of this clearance pathway causes tumor-like structures in C. elegans, and genetic ablation of nesprin-2 causes ovarian carcinomas in mice.

Thus, autophagic recycling of nuclear components is a conserved soma longevity and germline immortality mechanism that promotes youthfulness and delays aging under conditions of stress, the Greek scientists say.