“What we’ve discovered is that Granzyme K plays an important role in driving some of that damage,” Professor Nicole La Gruta said.
According to News-Medical, scientists have pinpointed a protein responsible for age-related deterioration in key organs, pointing toward potential new therapies that could promote healthier longevity.
The study, featured in the journal Immunity, uncovered a connection between the protein Granzyme K and markers of aging within the kidneys, liver, and heart. Granzyme K is a protein produced by immune cells. Its levels are known to increase significantly with age in both mice and humans, but its precise role in age-related organ damage has remained unclear.
Professor Nicole La Gruta, senior researcher from the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, noted that the discovery could offer a novel approach to safeguarding vital organs against age-related harm.
“What’s particularly exciting is that mice without this protein showed reduced signs of organ ageing, even though their immune systems continued to age normally,” La Gruta told News-Medical.
The study used preclinical mouse models, comparing older mice that did not have the protein Granzyme K with those that did. In the subjects lacking Granzyme K, scientists noted markedly enhanced cardiac performance along with decreased fibrosis, a type of scarring that impairs organ efficiency. The mice also showed reduced signs of age-related damage in their liver and kidneys.
These results challenge the long-held assumption that organ and immune ageing are inextricably linked. An analysis of human data revealed that individuals suffering from various inflammatory and fibrotic conditions, such as heart failure and lupus nephritis, exhibited high concentrations of Granzyme K.
“Because these mice have lived their entire lives without Granzyme K, we now need to understand whether blocking the protein later in life could achieve similar benefits,” La Gruta said.
The researchers are investigating ways to selectively block Granzyme K to determine whether targeting the protein later in life provides similar protection. Further research is required to determine whether the same benefits can be achieved in humans.
“There’s still a lot of work to do, but identifying a protein that contributes to damage across multiple organs gives us a promising new direction for research into healthier aging,” La Gruta told News-Medical.
Granzyme K is a protein produced by immune cells. Its levels increase significantly with age in both mice and humans, and researchers have linked it to driving age-related damage in vital organs including the heart, liver, and kidneys.
Researchers used preclinical mouse models, comparing older mice lacking the Granzyme K protein with mice that possessed it. They also examined human datasets, finding elevated levels of the protein in patients with inflammatory and fibrotic conditions such as heart failure and lupus nephritis.
Scientists are investigating methods to selectively block Granzyme K to see if targeting the protein later in life provides similar organ protection. Further studies are also needed to determine if the same protective benefits can be achieved in humans.