Altering RNA enzymes may extend lifespan

Scientists have used a new technique to dramatically slow down the ageing process and double the lifespan in worms, a breakthrough that may lead to new ways to extend life in humans.
Researchers at the Centre for Plant Ageing Research with support from the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) in South Korea tested the cells of a specific roundworm, Caenorhabditis elegans, which despite being only 1 mm in length, share some of the same cellular attributes as humans.
While looking into the roundworm cells, they focused their attention on RNA helicases, a family of enzymes that regulate the function of RNA.

The helicases are well understood but their function in relation to the ageing process has not yet been fully explored.
IBS Centre for Plant Ageing Research Director Hong Gil Nam looked specifically at a helicase called HEL-1 and discovered that its inhibition has the property of promoting longevity in roundworms.
To identify which helicases they needed to focus their attention on, the team targeted each of the 78 RNA helicases to see what the effects would be.

They noticed that the result of altering more than 30 RNA helicase genes actually significantly decreased life expectancy.
The team used a mutated form of the roundworm in which they restricted a gene called daf-2 which is responsible for the rate of ageing, reproductive development, resistance to oxidative stress, thermotolerance, resistance to hypoxia, and resistance to bacterial pathogens.

In this case the daf-2 gene was altered so its IIS (insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) signalling) would be restricted.
These daf-2 mutants display increased resistance against diverse stresses, including heat stress, pathogenic bacteria, and oxidative stress and most importantly, the daf-2 mutants displayed double the lifespan compared to wild Caenorhabditis elegans roundworms.
The team believes that HEL-1 may act as a transcription regulator, which control how cells convert DNA to RNA since other RNA helicases do the same thing now.
"In contrast to the expectation that RNA helicases have general housekeeping roles in RNA metabolism, our findings reveal that the RNA helicase HEL-1 has specific roles in a specific longevity pathway," researchers said.

The ability to regulate DDX39 and other RNA helicases may give us an insight into finding the ability to control Alzheimer's disease, among other brain disorders.
Using the technique of altering RNA helicases to extend life in humans looks promising as humans and roundworm both have HEL-1 and IIS which can be manipulated in similar ways.