RNA and protein degradation in the aging process.

Junqiang Lin, Ye Qiu, Chun Ye, Yuhan Zhang, Zile Zeng, Bingtao Yao, Yidan Hu, Limin Zhao

Human Aging Research Institute (HARI) and School of Life Science, Nanchang University, and Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Human Aging, Nanchang 330031, China. · pubmed

Paper

Abstract

Aging involves a profound reorganization of metabolic processes, marked by a progressive decline in anabolic activity and a compensatory increase in catabolic flux. This imbalance drives cellular dysfunction and contributes to age-related phenotypes, including sarcopenia, anorexia, and sleep disturbances. Concomitantly, aging involves a selective disruption of RNA and protein degradation pathways. This process, defined here as Senescence-Associated Degradative Reprogramming (SADR), entails the aberrant destabilization of specific transcripts and proteins, with some molecules being rapidly degraded, while others accumulate intracellularly. This review examines the central role of RNA and protein degradation regulators in aging, with a focus on the molecular mechanisms driving their reprogramming and the resulting disruption of cellular homeostasis. Furthermore, this review highlights RNA and protein degradation as a crucial axis in senescence biology, presenting new perspectives for targeted therapeutic intervention.

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Research summary

The paper claims that RNA and protein degradation pathways are crucial in the aging process and their disruption contributes to age-related phenotypes. This research addresses fundamental mechanisms of aging, which is directly relevant to understanding and potentially mitigating the root causes of aging.

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