NUS Study Reveals Key to Regenerating Brain Cells, Perhaps Reversing Age-Related Cognitive Decline
Singapore – Researchers at the national University of singapore (NUS) have identified a protein, DMTF1, that plays a crucial role in the regeneration of neural stem cells – the cells responsible for creating new brain cells. The study, published in Science Advances, suggests that boosting DMTF1 levels could offer a therapeutic avenue for combating age-related cognitive decline.
[Figure with caption: Assistant Professor Ong Sek Tong Derrick (left) and Dr Liang Yajing (right), both from the Department of Physiology and the Healthy longevity Translational Research Program at NUS Medicine, examining protein expression of candidate DMTF1 target genes in the laboratory.Credit: Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine)]
The team discovered that DMTF1 levels decrease in aging neural stem cells, and that simply reactivating the protein restored their regenerative capacity. DMTF1 appears to work by regulating “helper genes” (Arid2 and Ss18) that make DNA more accessible, allowing for the activation of genes essential for cell growth and renewal. When these helper genes are dysregulated, neural stem cells lose their ability to self-renew.
“Impaired neural stem cell regeneration has long been associated with neurological aging,” explains Assistant Professor Ong Sek Tong Derrick. “Understanding the mechanisms for neural stem cell regeneration provides a stronger foundation for studying age-related cognitive decline.”
While the research is currently based on in vitro experiments,the team plans to investigate whether increasing DMTF1 expression can improve learning and memory in aging models,while carefully monitoring for potential risks like brain tumor progress. The ultimate goal is to identify small molecules that can enhance DMTF1 activity and revitalize aged neural stem cells.
“Our findings suggest that DMTF1 can contribute to neural stem cell multiplication in neurological aging,” adds Dr. Liang Yajing. “While our study is in its infancy, the findings provide a framework for understanding how aging-associated molecular changes affect neural stem cell behavior, and may ultimately guide the development of successful therapeutics.”
Source: Liang, Y., et al.(2026). DMTF1 up-regulation rescues proliferation defect of telomere dysfunctional neural stem cells via the SWI/SNF-E2F axis. Science Advances. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ady5905