Image of a C. elegans roundworm. The blue fluorescence highlights the tissue producing most N-acetylglucosamine. Credit: MPI for the Biology of Aging

Source: http://scitechdaily.com

Scientists have discovered that a substance called N-acetylglucosamine has the ability to enhance defense mechanisms against neurodegenerative diseases, clear toxic protein aggregates and extend life span.

Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Aging in Cologne have found that a naturally occurring molecule has the ability to enhance defense mechanisms against neurodegenerative diseases. Feeding this particular metabolite to the small round worm Caenorhabditis elegans, helps clear toxic protein aggregates in the body and extends life span.

During aging, proteins in the human body tend to aggregate. At a certain point, protein aggregation becomes toxic, overloads the cell, and thus prevents it from maintaining normal function. Damage can occur, particularly in neurons, and may result in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or Huntington’s disease. By studying model organisms like Caenorhabditis elegans, scientists have begun to uncover the mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration, and thus define possible targets for both therapy and prevention of those diseases. “Although we cannot measure dementia in worms“, explains Martin Denzel of the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Aging, “we can observe proteins that we also know from human diseases like Alzheimer’s to be toxic by measuring effects on neuromuscular function. This gives us insight into how Alzheimer actually progresses on the molecular level“….more here