Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for the Biology of Aging in Germany have discovered a new mechanism by which food restrictions lead to longer lifespan, proving the effectiveness of special diets. It turned out that an increase in the amount of sestrin protein inhibited the aging of fruit flies. An article with the results of the study was published in the journal Nature Aging.
Scientists have found out which factor is responsible for the fact that the body responds more to reducing the amount of proteins and certain amino acids consumed than to limiting the number of calories in general. The TOR signaling pathway is known to be involved in this mechanism. TOR, or target of rapamycin, is an enzyme called protein kinase that is involved in cell growth and survival.
It turned out that the sister protein is able to bind amino acids, and suppression of this binding with drugs reduced the activity of the TOR signaling pathway, which in turn helped fight aging. What's more, insects with mutations in protein have improved health even with a protein-rich diet.
At the same time, increasing the number of sestrin in stem cells located in the intestines of flies also protected insects from the negative effects of a protein-rich diet and extended life by 10 percent. Thus, a potential drug that enhances sister activity could be a new way to combat aging in the future.
