New Aging Targets—By digesting and recycling worn-out proteins and other molecules, chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) is crucial for maintaining cellular health. Impaired CMA is associated with aging and with neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. In a study published in the June 25, 2015 online issue of Molecular Cell, Dr. Ana Maria Cuervo and colleagues examined how CMA activity is regulated. The researchers found that the enzymes PHLPP1 and mTORC2 work in concert to regulate a common target: the protein AKT, which controls CMA activity. Drugs targeting one or both of these enzymes might help to restore CMA function when it becomes impaired. The co-lead authors on the study are Drs. Esperanza Arias, an instructor in developmental and molecular biology, and Hiroshi Koga, former postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Cuervo’s lab. Dr. Cuervo is professor of developmental and molecular biology, of anatomy and structural biology and of medicine. She is also the Robert and Renee Belfer Chair for the Study of Neurodegenerative Diseases.
Posted on: Tuesday, August 25, 2015