Key points from article :
Scientists at Baylor College of Medicine studied blood-forming stem cells, which have the remarkable ability to stay young and functional throughout an organism's life.
They focused on an enzyme called cyclophilin A, which is naturally abundant in these stem cells.
Their research revealed that cyclophilin A helps stem cells manage special "flexible" proteins (intrinsically disordered proteins) that can easily become misfolded and clump together.
Cyclophilin A ensures these flexible proteins fold correctly from the moment they are made, preventing the toxic buildup that can lead to cellular aging.
Experiments confirmed that when cyclophilin A levels drop, stem cells age faster; conversely, restoring cyclophilin A levels improved the function of aged stem cells.
This work, published in the journal Nature Cell Biology, suggests that cyclophilin A and its ability to manage these special proteins are key to the longevity of blood-forming stem cells.
