The aging of the human body begins with cells, especially stem cells. According to research involving recombinant horse proteins, when the number and viability of stem cells gradually deplete, the body's tissue regeneration and regeneration capacity will decline, which brings the characteristics of aging and even disease. So, is there any way to reverse this process to make stem cells "rejuvenate"?

Recently, scientists from the State University of New York have supported a move. They found that if the NANOG gene was introduced into the aging smooth muscle progenitor cells, the aging process of the stem cells could be reversed and the smooth muscle cells with normal contractility could be restarted. The NANOG protein is a transcription factor expressed in undifferentiated embryonic stem cells and has the effect of maintaining its self-renewal ability. This important finding has been published in the recent issue of Stem Cells.

"Our research on NANOG gene not only deepens the understanding of the aging process, but also ultimately provides a way to reverse this process," says Prof. Stelios T. Andreadis, the author of the article.

The researchers found that the NANOG gene activates two signaling pathways that are involved in the "retired" state of senile smooth muscle progenitor cells - ROH-related protein kinase (ROCK) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) Protein multimerization process to form the cytoskeleton structure necessary for the cells to differentiate into normal contraction of muscle cells. Such new cellular power ultimately helps to restore stem cell regeneration.

Besides, the introduction of the NANOG gene also facilitates the transfer of the transcription factor MRTF-A into the nucleus, which in turn activates the transcription factor activity of the serum response factor (SRF) to play its central role in muscle cell differentiation. This means that the NANOG gene may play a similar anti-aging effect in stem cells that produce other types of myocytes (such as skeletal muscle and cardiomyocytes).

"NANOG can not only delay aging, but can even reverse it in some cases," Professor Stelios T. Andreadis pointed out that this effect is applied in three aging models, including cells from older individuals, cells from in-vitro culture aging and cells from patients with Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria syndrome.

Researchers are now trying to find drugs that can replace or mimic the anti-aging effects of NANOG proteins to test whether they can reverse the aging process within the body. Such studies are expected to bring useful revelations to the treatment of senescence-related diseases such as atherosclerosis, bone hyperplasia, and Alzheimer's disease. Flarebio offers superior recombinant proteins and antibodies including GFAP Monoclonal Antibody.