Elixir Researchers Identify Molecular Sensor Linking Energy Levels and Insulin-like Signals to Lifespan.CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- - Research Findings with Broad Implications for Human Aging Research Are Published in Genes & Development - Elixir elixir /elix·ir/ (e-lik´ser) a clear, sweetened, alcohol-containing, usually hydroalcoholic liquid containing flavoring substances and sometimes active medicinal ingredients. e·lix·ir n. Pharmaceuticals announced today that Company researchers have identified a molecular sensor A molecular sensor or chemosensor is a molecule that interacts with an analyte to produce a detectable change. Molecular sensors combine molecular recognition with some form of reporter so the presence of the guest can be observed. in the nematode nematode or roundworm Any of more than 15,000 named and many more unnamed species of worms in the class Nematoda (phylum Aschelminthes). Nematodes include plant and animal parasites and free-living forms found in soil, freshwater, saltwater, and even vinegar , C. elegans C. elegans A nematode (Caenorhabditis elegans) that lives in soil, feeds on bacteria, and reaches lengths of about 1 mm (0.04 inch). It was the first animal whose genome was completely sequenced, and is widely used as a "model organism" by , that links lifespan to the organism's energy level and insulin-like signaling. Research conducted over the last decade has suggested that limiting energy availability, for example, by dietary restriction, extends the lifespan of different organisms. Elixir's study, published today in the online version of Genes & Development, sheds new light on how aging is actively regulated at a molecular level and has broad implications for human aging research. The sensor, AAK-2 is a protein kinase protein kinase /pro·tein ki·nase/ (pro´ten ki´nas) an enzyme that catalyzes the phosphorylation of serine, threonine, or tyrosine groups in enzymes or other proteins, using ATP as a phosphate donor. that is highly conserved between nematodes and man and correlates to the human enzyme, AMP-1. AAK-2 is part of a molecular circuit that is very similar in both species, suggesting that AMP-1 may also regulate aging in humans. Further identification of the targets of AMP-1 will be important in understanding how lifespan is regulated in humans. Peter DiStefano, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at Elixir commented, "This work supports our premise that aging is highly regulated and extends our list of molecular targets in pathways that affect lifespan by controlling metabolic processes. These findings will facilitate development of new drugs for metabolic disorders, and are encompassed in recent patent filings by the Company." About the Study: The paper titled, "The AMP-Activated Protein Kinase 5'AMP-activated protein kinase or AMPK consists of three proteins (subunits) that together make a functional enzyme, conserved from yeast to humans, that plays a role in cellular energy homeostasis. AAK-2 Links Energy Levels and Insulin-like Signals to Lifespan in C. elegans," (Genes & Development, vol. 18, issue 24, pages 3004-3009) was authored by a team of Elixir researchers led by Senior Scientist, Javier Apfeld, Ph.D. The team's research suggests that at a molecular level, animals actively sense changes in energy levels and these changes can result in alterations in lifespan. Using an array of genetic and molecular manipulations of C. elegans, researchers found that an increased cellular ratio of two small molecules, AMP and ATP ATP: see adenosine triphosphate. ATP in full adenosine triphosphate Organic compound, substrate in many enzyme-catalyzed reactions (see catalysis) in the cells of animals, plants, and microorganisms. , correlates well with increased lifespan. Humans and other organisms routinely use ATP as a source of energy and generate AMP as a by-product by·prod·uct or by-prod·uct n. 1. Something produced in the making of something else. 2. A secondary result; a side effect. by-product Noun 1. . Elixir researchers focused on a specific AMP-activated protein kinase, AAK-2, which, when activated by high levels of AMP, stimulates a variety of pathways that work to conserve energy stores. The research findings highlight AAK-2 as a key component of a circuit in C. elegans that regulates lifespan in response to environmental stressors and insulin-like signaling. The findings suggest that this circuit may also be influenced by signals from sensory neurons and the reproductive system reproductive system, in animals, the anatomical organs concerned with production of offspring. In humans and other mammals the female reproductive system produces the female reproductive cells (the eggs, or ova) and contains an organ in which development of the fetus , as these inputs modulate the activity of the insulin-like signaling pathway that contains the known aging genes, daf-2 and daf-16. About Elixir Elixir Pharmaceuticals is focused on discovering and developing new drugs for metabolic disorders based on a unique understanding of the genetics of aging. Elixir scientists have identified many important genes that regulate aging and the proteins encoded by those genes are the targets of the company's drug discovery efforts. More information about Elixir is available at www.elixirpharm.com. |
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